Authors

Ekaterina Rozova¹;  ¹ Independent Institute of Philosophy, France

Discussion

The history of Russian philosophy, as a course and a concept, has always been a point of debate among historians of philosophy, especially since it replaced the “Philosophy of the Peoples of the USSR” in the 1990s. Its creation reflects a view that emphasizes the uniqueness of Russian intellectual culture and its distinction from foreign philosophies. This course is built around the “Russian idea,” which raises several problematic issues: Russia’s “special path,” the disregard for the Soviet period, messianism, and opposition to the West. In the current context of war, military censorship, and propaganda, Russian philosophy is being even more intensely politically instrumentalized. This instrumentalization seeks to justify the aims and objectives of war, distorting the discipline itself. It selectively highlights aspects of Russian intellectual heritage that serve propaganda while ignoring those that do not align with the state’s narrative. This is a significant disruption of the academic integrity of Russian philosophy. I argue that we must problematize the incorporation of propaganda into intellectual heritage and educational institutions. The political use of philosophy in this way turns the discipline into a tool for obscuring reality, damaging academic culture in the process. Instead of fostering critical thought, this instrumentalization creates a smokescreen that conceals the complexities and critical reflections inherent in the intellectual tradition. The core problem lies in how intellectual heritage is repurposed for political ends. The Russian philosophical tradition, which should provoke critical thinking and debate, is instead being used to legitimize war, nationalism, and messianic narratives. This instrumentalization not only distorts the academic field but also narrows public understanding, leading to a diminished space for intellectual inquiry and critical discourse. In conclusion, this paper calls for a critical examination of how political forces can weaponize intellectual heritage. When philosophy becomes a vehicle for state propaganda, it loses its ability to challenge power structures and promote independent thought. This disruption of the discipline undermines academic freedom and corrupts the integrity of intellectual institutions, offering a lesson on the dangers of allowing any intellectual tradition to be co-opted for political purposes.