FROM FARMBOY TO FIRST MAN: THE GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION OF YURI GAGARIN AS A SOVIET ANTI-IMPERIALIST ICON

Abstract

I argue that Gagarin’s image implies a deliberate strategy behind its construction. It was constructed in a way that ensured fulfillment of dual political functions. Within the Soviet Union, he became an embodiment of the ideal Soviet citizen - modest, diligent, and loyal to the socialist cause; Internationally his image aligned with anti-imperialist narratives and promotion of socialism as a superior and modernizing force. This paper attempts to analyze cultural, intellectual, and political forces involved in the construction of Yuri Gagarin’s image, and the use made of this image to construct political narratives during the Cold War — including the narratives stated for export to the emerging post-colonial states. I begin by exploring the origins of early Soviet intellectual and cultural interest in cosmic themes, rooted in Russian cosmism and revolutionary utopianism; following that, I examine how these themes survived the Stalinist era and both shaped and served the context of the Cold War’s ideological competition ; then, I tackle the core topic of this paper —construction of Yuri Gagarin’s image and adaptation for both domestic and international arena; finally, I analyze how the image was used to promote the Soviet Union’s Socialist cause in Cold War dynamics and buttress Khruschev’s legitimacy.