SUMMARY:

This essay is a contribution to the continuing forum “The Prospect of Studying World Russian Languages, Literatures, and Histories.” Kevin M. F. Platt argues for a pluricentric understanding of Russian culture that moves beyond rigid, nationalist frameworks and imperial centers. He chronicles his own intellectual shift from viewing Russian-language communities as “peripheral” to recognizing them as autonomous, diverse, and fragmented entities that exist independently of the Russian Federation. By examining the lived experiences of Russian-speaking populations in places like Latvia and Ukraine, Platt demonstrates that the term “Russian” is a historically contingent label rather than a singular, bounded identity. Ultimately, he advocates for a “minor literature” approach that treats all cultural identities as deterritorialized and plural, challenging traditional academic structures to adopt a more decolonial and global perspective.