Redefining cultural identities: An examination of cross-cultural perspectives from Russian and American university-age students

This exploratory study examined cultural perspectives of Russian and American university-age students in an effort to identify possible parallels, disconnects, and stereotypes. Participants responded to an open-ended questionnaire consisting of four parallel questions in relation to Russian and American cultures. Preliminary findings suggest 1) that participants assess the "other" culture according to esteemed characteristics of their own culture, hence contributing to each culture perceiving itself as culturally superior, 2) a shift from a tradition of literary centrism in Russia, yet a considerable difference between Russian and American participants in their familiarity with literature, and 3) an emphasis on positive and favorable historical/cultural figures with little to no attention paid to undesirable figures from the recent past, thus raising important questions concerning the disappearance of historical memory.