Participants

Yulia Sineokaya²; Ekaterina Rozova²; Alexey Zhavoronkov¹; Boris Podoroga²;  ¹ Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany;  ² Independent Institute of Philosophy, France

Discussion

In the wake of Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the Russian philosophical landscape has entered a period of profound disruption. This round table explores the evolving academic culture within Russian philosophy since the onset of the war in February 2022, examining the tensions, transformations, and creative adaptations that have reshaped both philosophical discourse and community structures. Amid increased political pressures and intensified censorship within Russia, philosophical interpretations are shifting, with scholars re-evaluating the works of historical philosophers and re-contextualizing them in light of present-day realities. Themes of ethics, justice, and individual responsibility emerge with renewed urgency, guiding the critical lens through which Russian philosophers view state power, nationalism, and the ethics of conflict.
This discussion also considers the growing divide between scholars who remain in Russia and those who have chosen or been forced into exile. New intellectual communities have formed abroad, fostering collaborative dialogues that are both supportive and creatively oppositional to their counterparts within Russia. Emigrant scholars face unique challenges as they adapt to new cultural contexts while preserving ties to Russian intellectual traditions, forming spaces where resistance and resilience intertwine. Meanwhile, those remaining in Russia navigate the difficult terrain of ideological control, often with limited freedom of expression, making philosophical inquiry both a personal and political act of courage.
By engaging these perspectives, the round table aims to highlight the role of philosophy in navigating and challenging societal disruption. It will explore how philosophical inquiry serves as both a mirror to societal upheaval and a tool for imagining alternatives. In doing so, it provides a space to question the boundaries of intellectual freedom, the responsibility of scholars in times of crisis, and the role of philosophy in shaping a vision for the future amid uncertainty and fragmentation.