Authors

Claire Shaw¹;  ¹ University of Warwick, UK

Discussion

This paper considers Soviet approaches to physical diversity – of race, gender, and physical capacity – under Stalin. While external commentators often remarked on the ‘monotony of life’ under Soviet socialism, this picture was belied by the celebration of diversity in films, popular culture and policy in the years following the first five-year plan. Looking at the work of thinkers such as Lev Trotsky and Nikolai Bukharin, the paper considers the theoretical roots of Soviet approaches to diversity and examines the implications (and limits) of these utopian ideas, which persisted long after their originators were removed from the Party. It explores the representation of these ideas in popular culture and considers their persistent and complicated legacy.