This paper explores the relationship between the individual and society using the article After over three decades of covering Russia, I leave in despair. One man has extinguished the bright hope many once felt. It was written by Robertson, a CNN journalist in 2022. Before reading the paper, one should follow the news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine on social media as well. The news story is analyzed through the lens of the fundamental concepts and methods of history as a discipline.
Firstly, the concepts and methods of history should be identified for further application. The notions of change across time, causation, background, intricacy, and eventuality define the shared underpinnings of this field. The primary methods used in historical studies are source exploration, time-series inspection, comparison, and alternatives analysis. These notions are essential in building a comprehensive examination of a historical event through the use of coherent methods.
The event under analysis is the current war in Ukraine which affects the lives of multiple people and has a historical significance. According to Robertson (2022), Russian President Vladimir Putin is ruining not just Ukraine but the future of the citizens of Russia and Ukraine. This individual presents a threat to Russian society, which has experienced the most significant change since the times of the USSR. At the same time, the Soviet Union phase is the background of nowadays: some people believe it to be the best regime while others recognize that its fall has been a mark of freedom for the whole nation. Hence, there is a confrontation between the large society and one individual, Putin, who, due to the historical past of his country, desires to undermine the achievements of the last decades.
To conclude, the causes for this event are multiple and cannot be assigned only to the president’s personality. However, one can apply alternative analysis and state that the contingency of the war for the Russian society would be a devastating economic and cultural recess. Therefore, the present situation is the demonstration of how a society can be affected by the actions of an individual’s actions.
Reference
Robertson, N. (2022). After over three decades of covering Russia, I leave in despair. One man has extinguished the bright hope many once felt. CNN.