Russian Political Ditty Transformation

Folkloristics 9/2 (2024): 109–125
Author: Viktorija B. Novikova
Text:

Folklore researchers of the early 20th century repeatedly noted that Russian chastushka is a genre that reacts promptly to current political events. Since then, the genre has existed in various forms: from predominantly oral to complex multimedia representations on the Internet. One of the factors that allow the chastushka to adapt to changing environments is its concise and recognizable structure, which, in particular, offers ready-made blocks for creating relevant content. This article will examine the characteristics and transformations of these blocks, as well as the changes in the environment where the political chastushka circulates.

Keywords: Russian ditty, chastushka, Internet-lore, politics.