Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth

How did Vladimir Putin galvanize the Russian people to back his genocidal war in Ukraine and why are so many of them willing to embrace fascism? This vivid, on-the-ground narrative reveals how Russia's fascist generation came into being-and the dark future that awaits the country if that hold cannot be broken. Wartime Russia is drowning in fascist symbols. Zealous patriots attack journalists, opposition activists, and anyone suspected of betraying the motherland. Russians are urged to join the cause by hordes of online trolls and sleek videos of angry young men bellowing patriotic slogans. State television terrifies viewers with trumped up tales of anti-Russian conspiracies and genocidal yearnings. Child soldiers proudly parade across Red Square. This is Russia in the 2020s: a land of performative rage and nationalist untruth, where play-acting, pretense and broken promises are a way of life. But in a world where pretense has become the norm, a terrifying, apocalyptic mindset is seizing the Russians of tomorrow. As enrapturing as it is terrifying, Z Generation reveals how Russia ended up where it is today, and where its young people are headed: a fascist generation more zealous, violent and ideological than anything the country has seen before.

Ian Garner's research focuses on Soviet and Russian war propaganda. The author of Stalingrad Lives: Stories of Combat and Survival, he studied at the Universities of Bristol and Toronto, and at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory.

ISBN: 9781787389281
Format: Hardback
Pages: 256
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: June 28, 2023

'A chilling investigation into the widespread support for the violence and ideology of fascism among Russia's youth -- and how Putin has used this to his advantage.' -- Financial Times"An incandescent indictment of [Putin's] regime... Garner writes with dash and panache, and pulls no punches as he rips through the evolution of the Putin regime." -- Sunday Times"[ Z Generation] is invaluable to understanding how the conflict may well progress." -- Diplomatic Courier, "15 Books to Look Forward to in 2023""Ian Garner has produced a brilliant and chilling investigation. He meticulously details how extraordinary levels of hate permeate a large section of the under-30s, who came of age under Putin's tutelage. No one can finish this book and still believe the invasion of Ukraine was just the fault of one bad guy in the Kremlin. As Garner so expertly shows, whatever happens in the war, we will be dealing with the consequences of Russian fascism for years to come." -- Nick Cohen, Observer columnist and author"A forensic and grippingly-told examination of the descent of Russian youth into state-encouraged violent fascism. Garner makes the reader understand both the scale of the problem, and that it is one we will be facing for decades to come." -- David Patrikarakos, author of War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century"An unflinching and essential portrayal of the Putler Jugend with all its paradoxes and sadism." -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing is True and Everything is Possible: Adventures in Modern Russia"If you thought Putin's Russia was an ideology-free kleptocracy and most Russians are ashamed of or opposed to the invasion of Ukraine, read Ian Garner's gripping historical-cultural analysis of the descent of a portion of Russia's youth into fascist euphoria in support of their country's illegal invasion of Ukraine." -- Maria Popova, Associate Professor of Political Science and Jean Monnet Chair, McGill University"What do young Russians think about their country, Putin and the world? Why do many tech-savvy, successful and well-educated young Russians support their country's invasion of Ukraine? Combining personal observations and academic research, this provocative book addresses questions crucial for understanding Russia's past, present and future." -- Eugene Finkel, Kenneth H. Keller Associate Professor of International Affairs, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and editor of Coloured Revolutions and Authoritarian Reactions"Ian Garner's exceptional book deals with its subject matter--the growth of Russian fascism--in a way that is multifaceted and nuanced, but also clear-sighted about the threat it poses to Russia's neighbors, the liberal international order and Russia itself." -- Mart Kuldkepp, Associate Professor of Scandinavian History and Politics, University College London