Are young Russians passive subjects of indoctrination, a hidden liberal vanguard, or something far more ordinary and complex? In this episode of Russia Unfiltered, Jeremy Morris, James C Pearce and Jonny Tickle push back against the clichés that dominate Western coverage of Russian youth, from heroic protest myths to claims of mass radicalisation.

Drawing on sociological research, teaching experience, and everyday encounters with students and families, they look at how young people actually navigate school pressure, exams, careers, housing, conscription fears, and online life. The discussion unpacks state youth programmes, patriotic education, and controversial history textbooks, asking not what the state intends, but how these initiatives are received, ignored, reinterpreted, or used pragmatically.

This podcast is an independent project and does not represent the views of our employers or affiliated institutions.