“Old Sects” in a New Light: How to Study Russian Religious Dissent, 1700–1900

Abstract

The introductory paper to the thematic block deals with fundamental issues of present day historical, anthropological, and religious studies of the so called “old Russian sects” of the 18th and 19th centuries. Russian religious dissenters of this period could be hardly viewed as homogeneous or integrated religious culture both historically and socially. However, the study of these movements as well as their representation in various discursive and ideological contexts can tell us a lot about religion in Russia of the “Synodal period”. The paper discusses key aspects of Russian sectarianism in terms of sensational forms, media regimes, moral economies, history of confessionalization and charismatic leadership in popular religious culture.