"on My Native Land, I'm Already a Stranger": Post-Soviet Women Artists Reshaping Conflict Narratives
"on My Native Land, I'm Already a Stranger": Post-Soviet Women Artists Reshaping Conflict Narratives
Tuesday, 8 July 2025: 09:30
Location: FSE032 (Faculty of Education Sciences (FSE))
Oral Presentation
The collapse of the Soviet Union left behind complex legacies that continue to shape the political, social, and cultural landscapes of post-Soviet countries. While much scholarly attention has been directed at Eastern and Central Europe, regions like the Caucasus and Central Asia remain overlooked. In these regions, women artists have emerged as powerful voices of resistance, using their creative expressions to reshape narratives of conflict and challenge the enduring colonial legacies of Soviet rule—legacies that, following the Union’s collapse, fueled internal conflicts, ethnic tensions, and struggles over national identity across the post-Soviet states. This abstract focuses on Tajik-Russian singer Manizha Sanghin, whose music videos serve as a platform to confront national identity struggles, war, and societal taboos.
Drawing on postcolonial theory, decolonial thought, and media studies, this research explores how Manizha uses her artistry to critique sociopolitical conditions in Russia and Central Asia. Inspired by theorists such as Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Madina Tlostanova, the analysis will highlight how Manizha’s work embodies a decolonial aesthetic, functioning as a form of artivism in spaces where traditional activism is often suppressed. Her artistry engages with topics such as racism, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and authoritarianism, defying both governmental and societal censorship.
This research emphasizes how Manizha’s artistry subverts post-colonial narratives, confronting the colonial residue of Soviet multiculturalism, Russification, and cultural erasure. Through a critical analysis of her video clips and their reception, this study delves into how popular music intersects with broader decolonization efforts in conservative post-Soviet societies.
In doing so, Manizha not only subverts dominant political structures that seek to silence dissenting voices but also reimagines conflict narratives, challenges the status quo, and directly confronts the lasting impact of Soviet colonialism.
Drawing on postcolonial theory, decolonial thought, and media studies, this research explores how Manizha uses her artistry to critique sociopolitical conditions in Russia and Central Asia. Inspired by theorists such as Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Madina Tlostanova, the analysis will highlight how Manizha’s work embodies a decolonial aesthetic, functioning as a form of artivism in spaces where traditional activism is often suppressed. Her artistry engages with topics such as racism, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and authoritarianism, defying both governmental and societal censorship.
This research emphasizes how Manizha’s artistry subverts post-colonial narratives, confronting the colonial residue of Soviet multiculturalism, Russification, and cultural erasure. Through a critical analysis of her video clips and their reception, this study delves into how popular music intersects with broader decolonization efforts in conservative post-Soviet societies.
In doing so, Manizha not only subverts dominant political structures that seek to silence dissenting voices but also reimagines conflict narratives, challenges the status quo, and directly confronts the lasting impact of Soviet colonialism.