Authors

Discussion

This short paper serves as an introduction to the panel, outlining its central themes and providing key terminological clarifications. It aims to frame the discussion on cultural appropriation and decolonization from the perspective of nations historically under the control of the Russian Empire and later subsumed into the Soviet communist system.

The decolonization of culture and art is a profoundly complex yet essential process. For centuries, the histories of Ukrainian and Belarusian theatre, art, and literature were appropriated, renamed, and assimilated under the banner of a so-called "Great Russian Culture." This process not only erased linguistic and national identities but also inflicted irreversible damage on the cultural legacies of neighboring Slavic nations.

Under the guise of a shared "brotherhood," this cultural domination was marketed and solidified to such an extent that the Western world rarely questioned its origins or consequences. This paper will argue that it is now imperative to challenge this narrative and to openly declare that the "Great Russian Culture" is an artificial creation requiring clarification and explanation. It is not, strictly speaking, "Russian"; in fact, many prominent "Russian" artists and writers are, in reality, of Belarusian and Ukrainian origin.

In addition to outlining the panel's key arguments, the paper will provide a brief glossary to clarify the broad and often ambiguous term "decolonization" as it applies to culture and art in this context.