Самодеятельные объединения интеллигенции в позднем СССР: клубы любителей фантастики
Informal associations of intelligentsia in the late Soviet Union: clubs of fans of science fiction

Summary/Abstract: The publication presents an archival document of the funds of the Russian archive of socio-political history (RGASPI). The document is a report prepared by the editor-in-chief of the journal «Technology — to the youth» for the Komsomol Central Committee. The report summarizes the results of the survey of Clubs of fans of science fiction (CFSF), which the journal conducted in 1982—1983. The document describes the social and age structure of the CFSF, tasks, problems that they experience in their activities. The comments give a description of the document, its attribution. The circumstances of the creation of the report are analyzed. Ideological and political conditions are described; assumptions on authorship of the document are expressed. An attempt is also made to determine the source knowledge of the published report. Three problems are identified, in the study of which this document can be useful to researchers. First, it is the degree of independence of the CFSF from the authorities; second, it is an assessment of the organizational unity of the Soviet fan movement; third, the importance that the Soviet ideological leadership attached to science fiction. The comments also describe the events that followed the creation of this document. We are talking about repressive campaigns against the journal «Technology — to the youth» and against the clubs of science fiction fans, which occurred in 1984. And although the connection of these events with the published document is more than indirect, all these events are within the framework of ideological control over science fiction. The detailed notes explain the terms, abbreviations, proper names mentioned in the report.

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