A Never-Ending Rupture: The Contested Memory of Perestroika in Russia

Sauvé, Guillaume. "An Endless Break: The Controversial Memory of Perestroika in Russia". In The Empire of Meaning: Essays on State Ideology and Civilisational Politics in Russia, edited by Marlène Laruelle, pp. 44–62. London: Routledge, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003624448-5

Abstract 

This chapter investigates the contested memory of perestroika, arguing that its legacy remains unresolved in Russian society and politics. Unlike the 1990s, which have crystallized into a universally negative narrative of chaos and decline, perestroika elicits ambivalence, with fluctuating assessments across generations and social groups. Many Russians perceive perestroika not as the Soviet Union's conclusion but as the beginning of an open-ended post-Soviet era, a rupture whose consequences continue into the present. This ambiguity has allowed competing narratives—romantic, tragic, comic, and satirical—to circulate, each conferring different meanings and political implications. Drawing on Hayden White's typology of narrative structures, this chapter shows how these rival interpretations reflect broader struggles over Russia's trajectory, from liberal hopes to nationalist fears. It highlights how perestroika serves as a touchstone for ongoing debates about reform, identity, and legitimacy, making it a living and mobilized memory that continues to divide Russian politics.

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