The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war is the natural result of a series of ideological transformations that Russia has undergone over the past three decades. After the wave of liberalisation in the 1990s, the infamous concept of the ‘Russian world’ began to gradually and systematically take shape, ultimately becoming the fruit of the labour of Russian ideologues (both secular and clerical) and activists from a global network of conservative movements.
The phenomenon of conservatism in its international dimension, especially in the Eastern Orthodox cultural and religious context, has not often been the focus of attention for contemporary researchers. Therefore, it is important that in 2022, a book by Kristina Stoeckl and Dmitry Uzlaner was published, containing the results of the authors’ research into the history of the enduring conservative shift in the life and self-understanding of the Russian Federation from the late 1980s to the start of full-scale war in February 2022. The book has a comprehensive and eloquent title: The Moralist International: Russia in Global Cultural Wars.
The monograph addresses numerous theoretical and practical issues, highlighting key topics such as: (1) the gradual convergence stages between North American and Russian traditionalist institutions; (2) Pitirim Sorokin’s sociocultural theories; (3) the reasons behind the lack of a coherent Orthodox political theology or social theory; (4) how the Russian Orthodox Church contributes to reinforcing conservative social attitudes; (5) the core elements of Russian conservatism; and (6) the findings from major sociological studies demonstrating the changing worldview trends among the Russian Federation’s population.
In his review, Rev. Dr. Andrii Shymanovych analysed the most important ideas of Stoeckl and Uzlaner’s research. He also highlighted several controversial aspects that require further clarification and elaboration. Fr. Andrii’s review of the book The Moralist International is available at this link: https://www.academic-initiative.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/04-The-Moralist-International-review.pdf (in Ukrainian)
