Tatiana Romashko

Tatiana leaning to a banister. She has brown hair, purple beanie and glasses.

Tatiana Romashko

Published

27.3.2023

Tatiana Romashko- Project Researcher and PhD Candidate in Cultural Policy

I am a Grant Researcher and Doctoral Candidate at the Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy. I am currently completing my dissertation on the emergence of state cultural policy in modern Russia. In 2017, I moved to Finland to take up a teaching position in the Master’s Program in Cultural Policy at the Ģ��ֱ��, following seven years of service as a senior lecturer at various universities in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

My doctoral research examines the conservative turn in Russia that occurred around 2012-2014, resulting in significant changes to cultural legislation. Using a post-structuralist discourse theory framework, I analyse the emergence of Russian cultural policy in terms of hegemony and show how a new set of relations of coercion and consent have emerged in its field since 2012. Specifically, I analyse the legal and political transformation of cultural policy, arguing that Putin’s political project establishes an active and passive consensus with a limited number of cultural actors, while excluding others. In addition, my research sheds light on issues of socio-cultural milieu such as censorship, human rights violations, and the criminalisation of cultural and dissenting activities that have resulted from recent political events in Russia, which has become an increasingly authoritarian country. Thus, my dissertation aims to contribute to the understanding of the growth of intolerance towards cultural diversity, restrictions on freedom of expression, and the decline of individual equality in contemporary Russia.

My research interests are diverse and include Russian politics, cultural policy, and Finnish-Russian cross-border cooperation. Over the past five years, I have received fellowships from the Kone Foundation and the Ģ��ֱ��. After completing my PhD, I will join a research team led by Dr Vera Zvereva [1], working on the "Russian World" Next Door project [2], which examines discourses of Russian political communication and cultural diplomacy in Finland from 2022 to 2026. This project will allow me to continue my research into the complex political and cultural dynamics of modern Russia and its relations with Finland.

Beyond academia, I enjoy various outdoor sports such as skiing, kayaking, and hiking. Being in Finnish nature and contributing to the Finnish community is a fulfilling experience for me and my family. We feel welcome and at home here.