<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This article seeks to define a certain form of exceptionalism - missionist exceptionalism - and ask to what extent it applies to Russia. The method will be a broad comparative analysis. The core argument is that missionist exceptionalism is fundamentally paradoxical; that polities make largely similar claims about themselves while pleading sui generis uniqueness. This hypothesis is asserted by examining the exceptionalism of other polities. These are two rivals of Russia; the United States and Poland, a “sentimental ally” of Russia, Serbia, and a country with a deep and interesting relationship with Russia, Israel.</p></abstract>

This article seeks to define a certain form of exceptionalism - missionist exceptionalism - and ask to what extent it applies to Russia. The method will be a broad comparative analysis. The core argument is that missionist exceptionalism is fundamentally paradoxical; that polities make largely similar claims about themselves while pleading sui generis uniqueness. This hypothesis is asserted by examining the exceptionalism of other polities. These are two rivals of Russia; the United States and Poland, a “sentimental ally” of Russia, Serbia, and a country with a deep and interesting relationship with Russia, Israel.

Russian Exceptionalism: a Comparative Perspective

Post - doctoral researcher in the Department of Modern Languages, University of Helsinki

Politics in Central Europe

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"Russian Exceptionalism: a Comparative Perspective"}

This article seeks to define a certain form of exceptionalism - missionist exceptionalism - and ask to what extent it applies to Russia. The method will be a...

Russian Exceptionalism: a Comparative Perspective

Published Online: Jun 24, 2016

Page range: 9 - 20

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pce-2016-0001

Keywords
exceptionalism, missionism, victimhood, civic religion, sacred

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Russian Exceptionalism: a Comparative Perspective

Published Online: Jun 24, 2016

Page range: 9 - 20

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pce-2016-0001

Keywordsexceptionalism, missionism, victimhood, civic religion, sacred

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
exceptionalism, missionism, victimhood, civic religion, sacred