Polite Cannibals and Rude Anthropophags: USSR, Before and After (On the History of a Social Metaphor)

Abstract

The article deals with the cannibalistic discourse which is used by many cultures – in art, literature and public rhetoric in general. The aim of the article is to bring to light the specific ways in which Soviet and post-Soviet writers, artists and other public intellectuals exploit the imagery of cannibalism. It focuses on significant shifts in the rhetoric of cannibalism, taking into account the latest clearly observed trends in literature and public discussion in Russia.