Kremlinologist

[Victor Steinbok]

I've pointed out previously (May 31, 2010; http://goo.gl/EVSCR -- as
have others) that the use of "Kremlinology" has spread not only from the
analysis of the Soviet intra-party squabbles to the analysis of Russian
government, in general, but also to any governmental structure that may
be considered arcane and secretive. In particular, both have been
applied to the analysis of the inner workings of the Supreme Court.
Here's the latest example of this kind.

http://goo.gl/tcdXy
> So his questions and comments during oral arguments will be watched
> and interpreted closely by the Kremlinologists of the High Court.

Here's the current OED entry listing "Kremlinology and "Kremlinologist"
as derivatives from "Kremlin":

> Kremliˈnology n. the study and analysis of the Soviet Government, and
> subsequently the Russian govenment, and their policies.
> 1958 /Oxf. Mag./ 13 Feb. 289/1 For all his interest in
> Kremlinology..the author is not really very good at it.
> 1961 /Spectator/ 2 June 806 Exaggerated claims on behalf of this
> method by some of its practitioners..who..equate Kremlinology with
> Soviet studies as a whole.
> 1971 /Times/ 22 Jan. 8/8 Kremlinology gone wild.
>
> Kremlinoˈlogical adj.
> 1961 /Spectator/ 2 June 806 The approach commonly nicknamed
> 'Kremlinological'.
> 1968 /Guardian/ 2 Apr. 11/5 The 'Kremlinological' expertise which
> enabled the White House to play the Kremlin power game.
>
> Kremliˈnologist n. such an analyst; also /transf./
> 1960 /Daily Tel./ 7 Dec. 12/2 Kremlinologists, versed in the mysteries
> of Marx and Lenin, Mao Tse-tung and Mr Khruschev, tell us that the
> signs are that Mr Khruschev has won yet another battle, at least on
> points.
> 1970 /Guardian/ 1 Oct. 15/4 The question now teasing Labour
> Kremlinologists is how long Denis [Healey] will be satisfied to remain
> a mere member of the NEC.
> 1972 A. Ulam /Fall of Amer. Univ./ i. 35 The budding Kremlinologists
> were put in their place, which often and quite properly turned out to
> be the C.I.A.


Other appearances unrelated to the original use, from 2000 to 2012:

http://goo.gl/4flku
> Peck is perhaps the world’s leading Oprah Kremlinologist.

http://goo.gl/DEmDJ
> As a onetime kid Kremlinologist I enjoy reading the perils of today's
> China-watchers, eg Economist http://econ.st/TNMtdt
>
> #Beijingology
[This one might be related to the original meaning, as the sender, Lewis
Shepherd, of the tweet is a senior analyst and administrator in
technology and intelligence. But also note the hashtag.]

http://goo.gl/pn6eg
Studying the Washington Post and Newsweek Kremlinologist-Style
> During the Cold War, back when Russian spies typically looked far more
> like Boris than Natasha, not to mention Anna Chapman, the phrase
> “Kremlinologist” came into vogue to describe those men who could study
> photos and snippets of information emerging from behind the Iron
> Curtain and attempt to determine the current health of the Soviet
> Union, and who was running the show.
> So let’s employ a little Kremlinology to try and ascertain the health
> of the Washington Post. Or even a little Nixonology -- a modern-day
> equivalent of Woodward and Bernstein (or at least how they were
> presented to the public in the form of Redford and Hoffman) would have
> lots of fun tying together all of the strange stories that have
> circulated recently from the former home of Ben Bradlee and Katharine
> Graham

http://goo.gl/q8tae
> On the down side, Richard Berke’s news report was rather murky at
> several key points. To a Kremlinologist, it may have had a slight
> Pravda feel.
> ...
> At one point, a Kremlinologist might try to discern what Berke was
> talking about...

This one might have appeared to be in the original meaning, just from
the snippets, but it is most certainly not--the subject of the story is
news reports on the inner workings of debates setup in 2000 (in
particular, the deconstruction of the debate moderated by Jim Lehrer,
which was subject to criticism similar to this year's debate).

Another on inner workings of the British government:

http://goo.gl/9Gaqo
> Another useful piece of Cameron referendum kremlinology from
> @jameskirkup the Lobby's top kremlinologist
> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jameskirkup/100184328/david-cameron-ups-the-stakes-in-his-eu-referendum-gamble-yet-again/
> …

http://goo.gl/L1jN9
> It does not take much of a Kremlinologist to see what is happening.

http://goo.gl/Dk0qs
> Australians with disability are entitled to be wary and a little
> cynical with each new pronouncement on disability by political
> leaders. They have been let down too many times before. People with
> disability have become a bit like kremlinologists of old, studying the
> words, announcements and behaviour of politicians, trying to divine if
> the latest statement is an advance on a National Disability Insurance
> Scheme (NDIS), or if it signifies a lessening of commitment. This
> occurred with Tony Abbott's recent speech to the National Press Club.
> ...
> Perhaps I am what Mitch Fifield calls a kremlinologist but I have been
> alarmed to hear Ms Gillard and Ms Macklin and many others in
> government saying "we are determined to get the 'design' of an NDIS
> right" --- ad nauseum a couple of weeks ago it was all about design,
> design, design --- what does that mean? Is "getting the design right"
> Gillard-speak for "we're tossing out the recommendations of the
> comprehensive report by the Productivity Commission and doing
> something cheaper and more bureaucratic?"

http://goo.gl/EUssg
> More and more Tory MPs are bracing themselves for defeat at the
> election, which must be held by 2015 and could come sooner. Nor do you
> have to be a Kremlinologist to divine Boris’s intentions.

VS-)

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