A Russian University will be introducing a "Westernology" course aimed at exploring the "satanic Western civilisation".
Far-right ideologist and philosopher Alexander Dugin announced the introduction of the new course at The Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow on Tuesday, reported Novaya Gazeta. Dugin took to Telegram to promote the new course, which he claimed aims to "end the epistemological hegemony of the West."
"But the important principle here is: every civilization is an epistemological subject," wrote Dugin in Russian, translated to English. "And each civilization must build its own interpretation of the West from itself, looking at the West with its own eyes."
Dugin is often referred to as "Putin's brain", according to Novaya Gazeta, due to the impact of his ideology and ideology upon the Kremlin. He has repeatedly perpetuated the notion of a a "Eurasian Union", which seeks to reunite the nations that the former USSR consisted of into a single unit ruled by Russia once again.
Dugin has frequently criticized Western modernism, talking extensively about the concept in his 2009 book titled The Fourth Political Theory. He expressed his view of Russia as a rival to the modern West, with the two international actors embroiled in a battle to "dominate" 21st century politics.
The Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU) itself is no stranger to ideological controversy. In 2023, the University opened the lvan Ilyin Higher Political School, which was protested by students of the university for being named after a known Nazi sympathizer.
"In the 20th century, Ivan Ilyin actively condoned the actions of the Germany fascist regime, justifying Hitler's crimes as a necessary response to Bolshevism and writing about the necessity of Russian fascism," read a petition created by students published to change.org. "A research center at one of the leading academic institutions of the country that defeated fascism cannot bear the name of a supporter of fascist ideas, bearing in mind the socio-political situations our country is currently in."
