Kremlinology
- noun
- /ˌkrɛm.lɪˈnɒl.ə.dʒi/
:
kremlinología
- During the Cold War, many experts relied on Kremlinology to interpret the actions of Soviet leaders.
Examples
-
Kremlinology involves analyzing official statements to understand the policies of the Russian government.
-
Kremlinology has occasionally served as a powerful tool to predict new Soviet leaders.
Academic text (1991) -
Much of what Western political leaders and academics knew about Soviet foreign policy came from one of three sources: "humint," the information from spies and defectors; "national-technical means," the information gained from various kinds of eavesdropping satellites; and "Kremlinology," the information gained from educated guesses based on the careful study of official statements and photographs.
Academic text (1998) -
Scholars of Kremlinology often examined public speeches to glean insights into the government's true intentions.
How Specialized
1
5.7
- Specialized
49
3.3
- Literature
212
3.7
- Literature
241
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
Kremlinology = Kremlin (semi-transparent) = Kremlin + ology
The word is transparently built from 'Kremlin' + '-ology', but its meaning is specialized and refers to political analysis rather than literally a study of the building itself.
Etymology
Kremlinology comes from Kremlin, the fortress and center of government in Moscow, and -ology, a common ending meaning 'study of' as in biology and psychology. So Kremlinology means the 'study of the Kremlin' and grew to mean trying to understand Soviet or Russian leaders by reading small signs, actions, and official statements.