Between Winning and Losing the Cultural Cold War – The Soviet Ministry of Culture and Musical Infrastructures During the Cold War
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21836262 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zbigniew Wojnowski (0000-0001-7135-4699, University of Oxford), Michel Abeßer (University of Freiburg) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 149-174 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-31 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | New Global Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1940-0004 • E-ISSN: 2194-6566 |
| Publisher | Walter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1515/ngs-2025-0007 |
| OpenAlex | W4408445225 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 26 |
The article analyzes the Soviet Ministry of Culture in the late Soviet period as an agent facilitating the transfer of music within the socialist bloc and to the West. Conceptualizing Soviet musical infrastructures as an imperfect ensemble of state-run institutions for the production and distribution of music, the article focuses on three case studies to explore how the Ministry, as the organizer of “progressive Soviet musical culture,” navigated the ideological challenges of the Cold War era, the various practical tasks of global music markets, and its diverse audiences. By examining contractual agreements with Western record companies, the mechanisms of music distribution within the socialist bloc, and Soviet concert tours in the Global South, the article carves out the possibilities and limits of Soviet attempts to capitalize on their musical cultures both symbolically and economically
Art · Christian ministry · Cold war · Economic history · Literature · Musical · Political science · Politics · Communism, Protests, Social Movements · European history and politics · Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics · History · Law
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |