Video Appeals to the President of Russia: Creating a Born-Digital Primary Source Collection

Abstract

Video appeals to the president of Russia are a primary source of unprecedented richness for the study of various aspects of contemporary Russian life. Online videos are recorded by diverse groups and individuals in Russia as attempts to prompt President V.V. Putin to directly resolve specific social, economic, cultural, and environmental problems; and to express opinions on a variety of issues or to wish him well. The content of this material and its role as a historical source can be compared to epistolary archives and, specifically, letters to the authorities written by Soviet citizens. This paper describes an experimental project in collecting, preserving, and providing access to these videos.