From Defiance to Civilizationalism
Journal: Journal of Applied History
Year: 2022

Abstract Russia’s complex relationship with the West is the result of a long history of frustration and a perception of humiliation. The Russian empire, Soviet Union and the Russian Federation all have perceived the West alternately as a touchstone and a threat. This article assesses how discourses of humiliation and historical greatness intersect in Russian foreign policy. A first section explains how the discourse of humiliation has always been present Russia’s discourse on East-West relations