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MODERN RUSSIA: IDEOLOGY, POLITICS, CULTURE AND RELIGION
2017.01.001. A. LUBSKY, O. POSUCHOVA. NATION BUILDING PROJECTS AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION MODELS IN RUSSIA // "Vlast", Moscow, 2017, № 8, P. 39-48.
Keywords: nation building, integration, nation civilized identity, value statement.
A. Lubsky,
Dr. Sc. (Philosophy), Professor, Institute for Sociology and Regional Studies, University, Rostov-on-Don O. Posuchova,
Ph. D. (Sociolology), Lecturer, Institute for Sociology and Regional , Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don
The theoretical challenges concerning nation building projects study in Russia are associated with the different ideas about nation building subject in scientific literature. In foreign literature the term nation building is associated with the nation formation in some cases but in other cases - with state formation and national identity population formation using a state power. In national literature some authors suppose that nation building is a process of nation identity formation the main point of which is a sense of solidarity and patriotism forming in the society in relation to its state. The others suppose that nation building is
people formation by many interrelations and obligations which becomes possible when the most part of the population feels its solidarity with fellow citizens and assumes a concern and an obligation for them. Some researches considering nation building as a way of a state control of inter-ethnic relations pay attention to define, first of all, conceptual approaches to such phenomenon as nationalism. It is stipulated by the fact that not a nation forms nationalism, but nationalism forms a nation according to many specialists opinion so they specify civil and ethnic types of nationalism: the first one unites people in large nations but the second one separates nations and peoples into the small ethnic communities.
The theoretical challenges associated with nation building projects study in Russia are also stipulated by the present different approaches to understand a nation. Within one of such approaches developed under the influence of the nation building practices in the west-European countries a nation is considered as a social community having the same national interests and civil values united by a common political system. By that a French tradition is outlined to understand a nation where a nation is considered to be a political and a civil community and also a German tradition to understand a nation as ethno-nation, i.e. a community of a cultural origin. The other approach to understand a nation is associated with a practice nation building in USA as immigrant state where the Americans and the American nation concepts are identified as a political community based on the faith to the American state and a devotion to the American values.
The authors of the article distinguish several ideal types of nation building in dependence of socio-cultural and historical contexts particularities. First of all, it is mono-ethnic nation forming based on the entity of ethnic origin, the language, religion, economic interests and a political system. Secondly, it is forming of poly-ethnic political nation based on the entity of national (governmental) interests and political values. Thirdly, it
is poly-ethnic civil nation forming based on the common civil values. Fourthly, it is trans-ethnic ideological nation forming based on the entity of governmental interests and ideological values. Fifthly, it is trans-ethnic nation-civilization forming based on the entity of civilized values and cultural codes of life activity.
At present one started the discourses about the nation in Russia at the level of political projects associated with the unified Russian nation forming, on one hand, but on the other hand, - at the level to discuss a problem if the nation exists in Russia and if it exists what its particularities are. The National union of public associations «The Russian nation» appeared in 2008 and its purpose was to distribute political and civil nation ideas in the society in Russia. As a result one proposed a new project of nation building orienting to the Russian nation forming both as a political nation uniting the citizens of Russia and a civil nation based on a civil consent. There was also the idea for the Russian nation as multinational Russian people.
Sociological studies show that a particularity of the modern Russian identity is not only national but also civil. The reasons for such identity uniting the Russian society are: a common state (66% of respondents according to the polls), the territory (54%), state language (49%), the historical past (49%), common symbols -a flag, holidays (32-37%), a responsibility for the country destiny (32%). In modern Russian society a dominant idea of the state-civil identity is a self-identification of individuals, first of all, with the citizens of the Russian Federation (75-80% in 20132015 across Russia as a whole). This identity is also characterized by such elements of national-civil identity as a sense of community and solidarity with the country citizens, responsibility for their destiny and a life of the surroundings. The results of the polls also show that the most part of the Russians think that state-civil identity consists with ethnic identity. So, answering the question: "Who are you to a greater extent?" - 47% of the respondents across the country called themselves "most likely the Russians", 25% consider themselves both the Russians
and the representatives of a concrete nationality. However, the respondents among the representatives of title ethic groups in the republics consider themselves as the representatives of their nationality. This suggests that ethno-national identity of individuals forming ethnic communities aiming to a national identity strengthening plays a big part in the national regions together with a state-civil identity prevailing in the country as a whole.
Analyzing the processes of nation building and national identity forming in the modern Russian society one can draw the following conclusions. Firstly, the idea about the Russian people as a consolidated nation didn't happen to be a realized project of nation building in post-Soviet Russia. Secondly, a political nation and a specific state-civil identity were formed in Russia but a national integrity was based on the principle: "one nation - many ethnic cultures". Thirdly, macro-political community (political nation) and a state-civil identity being formed happened to be insufficient to overcome inter-ethnic and inter-confessional contradictions and to become a real base of cultural-axiological community of the Russians.
Inside of the idea about the Russian multinational peoples as a single nation one proposed a new project of nation building aimed at the Russian nation forming as a political and civil nation maintaining cultural diversity of Russia peoples. This project allowed forming a poly-ethnic political nation unifying the Russian citizens. A state-civil identity predominates in the Russian society including some elements of national-civil identity. Ethno-national identity gave some competition to state-civil identity prevailing in the national regions among the representatives of title nationalities. As a result a state-civil identity happened to be insufficient to decrease disintegrated potential of ethno-confessional distinctions in the Russian society. In this regard one had a need to develop new projects of nation building and national integration models. The realization of one of such projects is associated with trans-ethnic nation-civilization
and national-civilized identity building in Russia as a state-civilization being capable to overcome ethnic and confessional contradictions in the society.
The author of the abstract - E. Dmitrieva
2017.01.002. S. NOVOSELOV. RUSSIA IN THE CHANGING WORLD ORDER // "Kaspiyskiy Region: Politika, ekonomika, kultura", Astrakhan, 2016, № 2 (47), P. 83-88.
Keywords: Russia, unipolarity, the U.S.: political instability, the systemic crisis, the global transformation, the change of the world order model, multipolarity, foreign policy, national interests, a world power, a sovereign state, international isolation.
S. Novoselov,
Ph. D. (History), Associate Professor, Astrakhan State University
The author considers that the geopolitical vacuum after the collapse of the Soviet Union had to be filled with the help of the leading countries in order to assist Russia to transform its economic system as the successor of the Soviet Union or to help it to recover as a great power.
The Western partners prevented the restoration of Russia's economic potential in the difficult conditions while pumping out the natural wealth and financial resources from the country. The West sought to take advantage of the situation to get rid of Russia as a great power once and for all. The U.S. and its allies were trying to solve many problems in spite of world history, and even at the expense of the interests of Russia. In the current international situation, "unipolarity" has begun to take shape rapidly with the imposition of rules of conduct, norms and values suiting the U.S., but not the majority of political actors at the same time. The world has entered a period of political instability,
