Russian Exceptionalism and the War against Ukraine

Guest lecture with Professor Marina F. Bykova.

Abstract

My goal with this paper is to put into focus the phenomenon of Russian exceptionalism in order to demonstrate its perniciousness and its dangers both for political affairs, including international relations with other independent states, and from the point of view of the production of ideas, particularly in philosophy. I will begin with an overview of the idea of Russian exceptionalism by pointing to its historical and political roots. I will then turn to a brief discussion of the destructive impact of Russian exceptionalism on philosophy. In conclusion, I will formulate some ideas about how to move forward with our appreciation for Russia’s intellectual and cultural legacy. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it requires a new objective interpretation. This involves serious critical work, the goal of which should be not merely a re-evaluation of Russian intellectual and cultural traditions, but rather the development of an accurate understanding free from any prejudices, ideological constructions, political biases, and any sort of exceptionalism that effectively borders on radical nationalism and disregard for other traditions, cultures, and interests.

 

Marina F. Bykova is Professor of Philosophy at North Carolina State University and the Editor-in-chief of two international philosophical journals: Studies in East European Thought and Russian Studies in Philosophy . She is a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship and European Fellowship. She has also been named a Lisa Meitner Fellow and the Aleksanteri Institute Visiting Fellow. Her main area of specialization is the history of the nineteenth century continental philosophy, with a focus on German idealism, especially on Fichte and Hegel. She has also published books on Russian intellectual tradition, including Philosophical Thought in Russia in the Second Half of the 20th Century: A Contemporary Views from Russia and Abroad (co-ed. with V.A. Lektorsky; Bloomsbury, 2019) and The Palgrave Handbook of Russian Thought (co-ed. with M. Forster and L. Steiner; Palgrave MacMillan, 2021).