Turning Science into Fiction? Censoring Population Research in the Soviet Union, 1964–1982

Lovett, Jessica

Abstract

Population statistics reflect a nation's quality of life and accordingly have the potential to be highly politically charged, with implications for a government's legitimacy. In the Brezhnev era Soviet Union, emerging negative trends regarding life expectancy, fertility and mortality had the potential to de-legitimise the Soviet regime just at the moment when population issues were taking the spotlight through the United Nations. For this reason, population statistics were subject to significant censorship. The article examines how this censorship worked for domestic and international audiences. I show the main form of censorship was an editorial review by trusted experts in the Party and argue that the process was defined by uncertainty and negotiation, with personal networks mediating the result. In general, the period was characterised by tension between the need to expand demographic research and leaders' desire to suppress knowledge of unfortunate demographic truths.

Citation

Lovett, J. (2024). Turning Science into Fiction? Censoring Population Research in the Soviet Union, 1964–1982. Contemporary European History, 33(1), 192-211. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960777322000054

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 21, 2021
• Online Publication Date: May 27, 2022
• Publication Date: 2024-02
• Deposit Date: May 31, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 31, 2022
• Journal: Contemporary European History
• Print ISSN: 0960-7773
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-2171
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 192-211
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s0960777322000054
• Keywords: History
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/8306872
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/contemporary-european-history/article/abs/turning-science-into-fiction-censoring-population-research-in-the-soviet-union-19641982/C097E4D2CD2D99F1CDEDA511B553BFC0