Cosmopolitan Science, Nationalist Frameworks: Content Analysis of K–11 STEM Curriculum Reform in Russia (2012–2024)

This study examines the changes in K–11 STEM education policy in Russia between 2012 and 2024, revealing whether and how geopolitical positioning shapes educational priorities during periods of significant ideological transformation. Using the cosmopolitan nationalism theoretical framework, we analyze how Russia navigates the inherent tension between global scientific engagement and nationalist educational objectives within STEM curricula. Through mixed methods combining qualitative and quantitative content analysis of policy documents, quantitative content analysis of curricular materials, and analysis of interviews with experts, we identify three distinct phases in Russia’s STEM education trajectory. Our findings reveal a strategic duality, whereby STEM disciplines function as “cosmopolitan islands” within an increasingly nationalized educational landscape. Despite Russia’s explicit turn toward technological and educational sovereignty, we show that STEM curricula maintain substantial alignment with international scientific standards while embedding content within nationalist framing. The study contributes to understanding how educational systems in non-democratic contexts balance globally oriented technological advancement imperatives with nationalist identity formation. It refines the cosmopolitan nationalism framework by demonstrating how different disciplinary domains within a single educational system can occupy distinct positions along the cosmopolitan–nationalist spectrum, offering insights into potential pathways for maintaining dialogue during periods of geopolitical tension.