Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book suggests that those tendencies, though contextually contingent, are not necessarily that unique to Russia but have a broader relevance, and that studying them can bring insights of global and theoretical significance. It points towards the danger of overestimating the critical potential of speech as a way to contest dominant projects of belonging. The chapter examines the mobilization of homophobia in public spheres as one way in which states seek to contain undesired visibility. It also examines how the Russian media environment of the 2010s on a general level constitutes a space of appearance, ending with some reflections on media audiences. It explores how the arrangements of visibility upon which dominant projects of belonging rely may be contested.