title: Beyond borders: on the influence of the creationist movement on the educational landscape in the USA and Russia.
abstract: This paper provides a detailed look at how creationism originated in the United States and then explores how this evangelical trend was exported to Russia by American missionaries following the fall of the USSR. The comparison between these two countries is particularly interesting since the rivalry between the US and the USSR during the race to space caused both countries to revamp their science education. Yet, while political interests led both governments to focus on science education, creationist activities were simultaneously focused on diminishing the coverage of evolution in science classrooms. Now, decades following Sputnik's trip to space, the urgency to strengthen scientific learning has waned, while creationists are still equally focused on removing scientific naturalism in favor of supernatural explanations for the origin of species. This paper thus offers an in-depth look at which groups are currently responsible for promoting creationist activities in the US and in Russia and which groups are working hard to keep supernatural doctrines out of science curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Working Group Biology Education, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Am Steiger 3, 07743, Jena, Germany. elzwatts@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: Working Group Biology Education, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Am Steiger 3, 07743, Jena, Germany.|Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, ITMO University, 49, Kronverksky Pr., St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hossfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, ITMO University, 49, Kronverksky Pr., St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tolstikova
authors.affiliation: Working Group Biology Education, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Am Steiger 3, 07743, Jena, Germany.|Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, ITMO University, 49, Kronverksky Pr., St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia.
authors.forename: Georgy S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Levit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001695:Biology / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education; D004777:Environment; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D066189:Missionaries; D009068:Movement; D011057:Politics; D011639:Public Opinion; D012067:Religion; D012070:Religion and Science; D008921:Religious Missions; D012426:Russia; D013663:Teaching / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States
keywords: Creationism; Evolution; Russia; Science education; USA; USSR