We talk about boyish concepts and street gangs with sociologist Svetlana Stevenson (she studies this phenomenon). And forgive me that we are also talking about “The Boy’s Word”! — Meduza

In November 2023, the series “The Boy’s Word. Blood on the Asphalt,” directed by Zhora Kryzhovnikov, is about street gangs in Kazan in the late 1980s.

“The Boy’s Word” has very high ratings. It’s already called one of the most popular Russian TV series.

At the same time, the authorities drew attention to the series – they see in “The Boy’s Word” a romanticization of the culture of violence.

For example, at the end of November, schoolchildren in Tatarstan started play the heroes of the series “The Boy’s Word”, “dividing the asphalt” and throwing snowballs at each other. After reports of this, the head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, criticized “stories and films,” which, in his words, “romanticize the period in the history of our country associated with the manifestation of teenage gangs.”

In addition, authorities are discussing a possible ban on the series. On December 4, State Duma deputy Nina Ostanina sent two complaints to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and Roskomnadzor with a request to ban the show.

We talk about how the “boy” culture influenced society in Russia, including the country’s top political leadership. The guest of this episode is Svetlana Stevenson, professor of sociology at London Metropolitan University and author of the book “Life by Concepts. Street gangs in Russia.”

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