The Culture of Quotations in Soviet Sociology As a Mode of Correlating Academic Discourse with Political Networks

The academic institutionalization of sociology in Russia began with the 1917 revolution. Throughout the Soviet period, the Marxist approach dominated, which was ensured by the political and ideological support of the state. The relationship between political networks and academic discourse passed through different stages of evolution and took various forms. Embeddedness of sociologists in the political field was accompanied by the development of a special culture of quotations, in which authors focused, on the one hand, on classical works of Marxism, and, on the other hand, on the current political agenda of the communist party and soviet government. Different strategies and interests within the academic community made this culture heterogeneous. On the part of political networks, the citation culture was controlled and supported through stable administrative practices. This gave Soviet sociology the appearance of partisanship, stereotypicality, and practical validity.