Russian Intelligentsia

The Russian intelligentsia is the historic phenomenon of an educated opposition, and it has provoked a substantial body of Russian and Western publications. This book focuses on the intelligentsiasMyth, Mission, Metamorphosisas discovered in literature, journalism, and theater. The chapters define essential elements of themythof the intelligentsia as a distinctive social group and a spiritual formation claiming high moral standards and expectations for the self and for society. Second, contributions explore how the intelligentsia sees itsmissionon various historical stages as inextricably linked with Russias (and the Soviet Unions) cultural destiny, especially its literary and other artistic creations. Finally, the volume addresses themetamorphosisof the intelligentsia over centuries, as socio-political factors shaped its persistence and its perpetual transformation.