On “Remembering” the Soviet Past: Attitudes Toward the USSR in Social Media of Post-Soviet Countries

Abstract

This article examines the ways in which the Soviet past is represented in digital spaces across three post-Soviet states: Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The study has a dual objective: to identify the discursive frameworks through which social media users in these countries construct narratives about the Soviet past and to explore how these representations are embedded in visions of a desired future. The empirical basis of the study comprises over 5,000 user comments on social media posts containing the keyword “USSR” across the most visited online platforms in each of the three countries. The analysis reveals two distinct types of narratives. The first type, which can be broadly categorized as Soviet-nostalgic, portrays the USSR as an ideal or a model to be emulated. The most frequently recurring themes within this narrative include social justice, interethnic friendship, victory in the Great Patriotic War, industrialization, and stability/security about the future. The second type of narrative, which may be termed anti-Soviet, consists of comments emphasizing issues such as Soviet-era repressions (collectivization, famine, and politically motivated mass killings), poverty, shortages, an inefficient economy, and corruption.