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Sh. Kashaf,
Head of the Department of Education, Science and Culture, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation (Moscow Islamic Institute) DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN NON-MUSLIM POLITIES: THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS [4]
Achieving the internal harmony of the Russian nation is in the focus of the modern ideology of the national development in Russia today. A nation is constructed as a meaningful collection of individuals united by historical, linguistic, religious and cultural ties, and spiritual and moral reference points, the desire for the integration of values and national identity. In the literature, a multilevel political phenomenon and a theoretical construct of "national identity" is understood as "the identity of the national and state community and the collective consciousness of its citizens as members of such a community" [5].
Reflection on the challenges and the bifurcation of the identity in various communities can also develop on the way of alternatives selection, or move either in the direction of a sharp increase (revival) in the significance of ideas about the ethnic, religious, civilization and other identity models, which account for the most notable and noticeable hits of the era of global economic, political, cultural and religious integration and unification, or towards the actualization of the national civil identification, under which "personal communication is replaced by indirect and real community - blood, territorial, religious, psychological - on imaginary" [6]. It is no coincidence that modern scholars interpret the crisis periods of breaking social ties (which lead to an erosion of collective identity in its importance for the national community dimensions) as the category of the call to the development of the national community [7].
The issue of preserving and strengthening their identity is extremely important for the Muslim polities. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani talked about the fears encountered by the modern society, at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly (September 17, 2013, New York) [8]. Iranian politician did not limit himself by the realities of the Islamic world for generalizations in his speech. He talked about the threats to many who are inferior to the West in their capabilities.
This statement of the Iranian leader at the UN agrees with the discourse of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the X International Conference club "Valdai" (September 19, 2013, Novgorod region.), confirming the relevance of the search for new strategic approaches to the preservation of identity, especially considering the attempts of the West to return to the unipolar unified model of the world, eroding national sovereignty. Vladimir Putin associates emerging challenges with foreign policy and moral aspects of the events occurring in the world space. He appeals to the important religious constants that were not peculiar to the political discourse of the Russian president a few years ago [9].
As is evident from the statement of Vladimir Putin the Russian president at the meeting of the international discussion club "Valdai" many Euro-Atlantic countries are close to the threshold, which is inevitably followed: the loss of human dignity, a deep demographic and moral crisis (through the negation of moral principles and any traditional identities - national, cultural, religious), and rejection of the values postulated by Christianity and other world religions. Russia can avoid all this, because it is always sought to follow the flexible approaches, taking into account national and religious specifics of the country's population in its model of the state-civilization. Peculiarities of the Russian state system originate from the model of the state-civilization exactly, according to President Putin. He emphasizes in his
speech at the Valdai that Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and other religious denominations are integral parts of the identity and historical heritage of the country in the modern life of Russians.
The compound of the Muslim component together with other faith-based identifications the Russia is not a far-fetched argument in the presidential discourse: the largest number of Muslims among the countries of Europe live on the territory of the Russian state. Russian officials constantly speak about the spiritual, cultural and civilization affinity with the Muslim world, for which it is "an integral part" [10]. President Vladimir Putin was the first to recognize officially that Russia is a Muslim country also. In December 2005, he said that the country has always been the most reliable and consistent defender of Islam, speaking at a meeting of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic. Islam was mentioned as "a bright element of Russian cultural code" in Putin's speech at the solemn meeting in Ufa, dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia in October 2013 [11]. This is reflected in the domestic and foreign policy, affects its bilateral relations with Muslim countries, as well as its participation in the affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, where the Russian Federation has been granted observer status in 2005 at the request of President Vladimir Putin.
Inclusion of the religious factor in the recent political forecasting model revision of the foundations of national identity as a result of the crisis, is increasingly unacceptable in postsecular era [12]. A significant rethinking of the growing political role of religious actors becomes political consequences of such a shift in the identity space [13].
The steady growth of recognition of "the acceptability of the presence of the new forms of the religious factor in society," in the public opinion of Russians (these forms do not replace the form of
a purely secular society organization at the same time), is another important trend recorded by specialists of the Institute of Sociology of RAS recently by the results of nationwide research "Russian society in the context of new realities", held in November 2014 [14].
Conservative-traditionalist reversal of the Russian society strongly promotes intensification of intellectual and religious reflection. Representatives of the traditional Russian confessions used additional opportunities to present the results of their own spiritual, moral, social, cultural and intellectual searches in the public space.
Meanwhile, many have already retreated from the "front line" of creating a nation: the parties which are only simulacra of genuine, value-rational party affiliation [15], as well as the intellectuals, which formed two elite fragment due to their heterogeneity (by A. Salminen). The first - functional - was oriented "to the intellectual support of practical action, taken by political elites to the prediction of the consequences of the action, its legitimacy (or deligitimatsiyu) and so on. "And the second - reflective - which representatives are not focused on immediate practical action with a certain result and experimenting freely throughout the space culture" [16].
One should not expect that the domestic business will be able to generate moral values, for the formation of a political nation. Firstly, the "oligarchic structures currently do not live with their people", and secondly, these structures have been "subjected to extremely powerful impact against the political activity, especially coming out to the federal level" [17] that they will not soon recover.
Svyatoslav Kaspe talks about a very special position of the Russian Orthodox the church, which makes it the second after the state, demanded participant of nation-building, assigning the church - this social actor, residing on the highest place in the ranking trust in public
institutions - a high place among the participants of the Russian nationbuilding [18].
Undoubtedly, today the Russian Orthodox Church, which occupies a leading position among Russian institutionalized religions are included more and more in the political process as a subject of political goal-setting, expresses its position in the public sphere much more clearer and more significant in comparison with others. Traditional Islam in Russia is not rigidly institutionalized hierarchical structure, also expresses its concern in recent years, which manifests itself in a very acute form due to the problem of finding ways to save their own ethnic or religious identity and traditional social institutions. Voices of the leaders of the Muslim community are increasingly heard in unison with the position of the Orthodox hierarchs.
Key abstracts of presentations primarily of the heads of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) Patriarch Kirill at the plenary sessions of the 23 d International Christmas Educational Readings "Prince Vladimir. Civilizational choice of Russia" (January 21, 2015, Moscow), and of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Ravil Gaynutdin at the 10th International Islamic Forum (December 10-12, 2014, Moscow), demonstrated the absolute compatibility of the positions of the two major Abrahamic traditions in Russia on many key issues which have been announced in the conferences programs.
According to Patriarch Kirill, today Russia faces ideological dilemma: to renounce its spiritual sovereignty, abandon its own national and cultural identity in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed on it and save further opportunities to consume material goods, or to remain faithful to the ideals and values of Russia. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church does not see any other possible
alternative but to preserve the "blessed spiritual unity of our peoples," not to succumb to "the temptation to deviate from this path" [19].
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, revealing the nature of the fundamental challenge, talking about its special danger not only for Russia but also for the majority of nations and countries disappointed with the idea of globalization, which prevents the harmonious coexistence of cultures and traditions in a politically unipolar world. The leader of Russian Muslims consider it necessary to carry out "ideological and physical (in the case of a real threat to the security of the individual, the family, Motherland) opposition to" ultra-liberalism, which is now attacking the traditional values of Russians [20].
The public discourse of important representatives of, the two most numerous branches of the world religions - Christianity and Islam - creates a strong, unifying framework for building the protection of the Russian nation, held together by the union of Russia's traditional religions. It is no coincidence that, both events attracted the attention of the country's highest political elite. President Vladimir Putin and the head of the presidential administration Sergei Ivanov expressed wishes of success to the participants. Undoubtedly, the attention of personalities of the highest federal level, sending their greetings to the organizers of the Christmas Readings [21] and the international meeting of Muslims [22], initially gave the coordinates of political perception to signification of upcoming religious and community forums for the Russian world and Russian Muslims.
We believe that unification of Russia and the Muslim world today, is supported not only their cultural proximity, but also those challenges, made to them simultaneously from the West. Substantial empirical material for analysis was provided by the International Islamic Forum, where "representatives of different confessions demonstrated commonality of approaches to strengthen the
independence of Russia, the interaction of cultures and the formation of the national identity of the state of the country" [23].
The fact of holding such a major religious and public forum in Moscow [24] fits into a complex of the main directions in the field of international cooperation, in accordance with the Strategy of the state national policy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025, adopted by Presidential Decree № 1666 of December 19, 2012. According to this document, the priorities in the field of national policy are: "the use of public diplomacy resources ... as a means of establishing a dialogue between civilizations"; increasing cooperation with international organizations in order to prevent various forms of discrimination, including on religious grounds; organization of partnerships aimed at "maintaining initiatives of the civil society institutions in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church and other traditional confessions of the country in the field of national policy" [25].
Representatives of States which did not support the sanctions the US regime and the European Union imposed against Russia in 2014 due to its position on the Crimea and Ukraine were among the major Muslim scholars (Sunni and Shiite), reputable scholars of Islam and Grand Mufties from the number of the Eurasian continent, who arrived to the forum (more than 500 participants from 21 countries). Chairman of the Education Committee of the Russian Federation State Duma, Vyacheslav Nikonov has paid special attention to this political background, noting in his statement that "none of Islamic State joined the sanctions that Washington imposes on Russia" [26].
The current discussion about the challenges of national identity in Russia, which entered into economic, political and value-civilizational confrontation with Western European states could not but become an important component of the political agenda of the
forum. Analysts attending the event, claimed in their works: "The confrontation between Russia and the West is certainly not random in nature and shows, first of all, that the Euro-Atlantic civilization continues to refuse recognition to our country as an equal partner, regardless of the amount of the assistance provided by our country in different regions of the world" [27].
The return of the multinational and multi-confessional people of the Crimean peninsula under Russian jurisdiction, and in its identification space, including more than 300 thousandth of the Crimean Tatar population, became possible as a result of the referendum in the Republic of Crimea in March 2014. These changes were so rapid that many things have changed radically for the Muslim community of Crimea, which is 11% of the population of the peninsula, and a special role belongs to the Crimean Tatars in it [31].
Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea (SMMC), bringing together the vast majority of Muslim communities in the territory of the new subject, of Russia today (at last count - more than 350) represents the interests of Muslims of the Crimea peninsula [32]. According to the leaders of the Crimean Tatar people, they had to meet resistance from the representatives of various types of sects of radical pseudo-Islamic movements in the Crimea, people with conflicting thinking, at a crucial moment for the adoption of the next fateful decision in their lives associated with the Crimean plebiscite and accessions Russia.
Leaders of Muslim religious organizations, imams, representatives of Muslim non-governmental organizations and mass media think for the most part, that the Crimea joining the Russian Federation will affect the position of the Muslim Ummah of the country as a whole. They find that discursive communications of the Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Ravil Gainutdin and President of the
Republic of Tatarstan, R. Minnikhanov are effective, that took place in the course of their visits to the peninsula. On the eve and after the Crimean referendum, they were included in the most difficult intellectual and political dialogues with their brothers in the faith, history, culture.
Head structure of R. Gaynutdin - especially the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, created in 2014 on the basis of the SAM of European Russia and the Council of Muftis of Russia actively advocate for the collective identity of the national community and, above all, for the spiritual assistants of Muslims as an integral part of the Russian nation, too.
Russian Muslims will be able to feel like an actor of constructing Russian (Eurasian) identity, send their creative potential for the further strengthening of patriotism, citizenship and democracy, fully involved in the context of national and all-Russian culture, reduce possible radical aspirations, injected by external geopolitical rivals of Russia [33]. It should be noted that the persistent attempts to integrate the ideology of moderate conservatism in combining matrices, of Russian and Eurasian identities has become a trend that is characteristic for the regional investigators of Tatarstan (more often called "Muslim republic" by local political elites [34]), actualized scientific reinterpretation of conservative areas that historically do not contradict the Muslim ummah in the Russian Empire [35], as well as for nonMuslim, analysts Neo-eurasism binding model of collective identity, focused on civilizational matrix, with the tolerance of "their" Russian foreigners and Islam until the establishment of the Orthodox-Islamic Union, or emphasis on Islam as the ideological basis [36].
There are three main points, which can be identified in the analysis of the main theses of R. Gaynutdin and which can be summarized as "healthy conservatism of the future Eurasian identity"
1) protection of traditional values, moral norms and principles of spirituality postulated world religions; 2) production of mutually enriching cultural exchange between people of different religions and ethnic groups; 3) harmonious combination of modern lifestyle with a religious practice (the paradigm of "middle path" provides the opportunity for adherents of moderate Islamic traditions) [37].
The ideologues of moderate conservatism impressed by the fact that President Putin proclaimed the principle of civilizational pluralism, that he is a supporter of multi-polarity, he says about the inadequacy of the universalization of Western values without taking into account the specificity of each cultural ecumene [38]. "Everyone will keep the identity and political subjectivity" [39], opportunities will be open to the activities of the four traditional religions operating in the format of secular society in the created Eurasian association.
Actualized conservative aspirations of Muslim activists of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia are closely linked to significant, traditionalist and socio-political perspectives of Eurasian integration and presented in a number of public symbolic acts in a more extensive form [40].
Strategic Vision Group "Russia - Islamic World" was established in 2006 under the patronage of the former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, and continues to implement a number of important large-scale projects with the participation of public, government and religious leaders. The issues discussed at the forum, were very important for the global community [41], which disavows some critical assessments of some researchers [42] concerning the results of the international activity of the Russian muftiats in modern times.
Assessment of the centuries-old experience of Russia at the forum stated by the Minister of Religious Affairs, of the Turkish
Republic Dr. Mehmet Gormez,, is seen extremely important in today's realities of ideological and civilizational and geopolitical confrontation of Russia with Western European countries. According to the chief mufti of Turkey, this legacy is worthy of studying throughout Europe. According to Mehmet Gormez, Russian lands became the territory where "Islam formed the foundations of law, norms and principles of harmonious coexistence of religions" [43].
Political indifference and anonymity typical of Muslim clergy a few years ago, [44] greatly transformed in recent years. Now Muslim religious actors are eager to participate in the processes of "political and cultural synthesis" and make political meanings within the discursive construction of civilizational identity - Russia and Eurasia. It is believed that this kind of identity «"is given to the involvement of religion, ideology, social practices and cultural style, the rod constituting" sacred hierarchy» [45].
So, we can conclude that the influential religious centers, Muslim leaders of the Turkic world of the CIS and Eurasia, the Arab countries and Iran, Southeast and Central Asia recognize the special role of Islam in Russia [46] today.
Russian muftiats, initiating the creation of a new paradigm within the Islamic and interconfessional dialogue from Moscow, which is formalized with the framework of International Islamic Forum, tend to direct it to the sustainable development of the whole Russian society and Russian nation, strengthening the sovereignty and national identity in Russia, as well as for the benefit of all its partners in the Eurasian space.
A new international Muslim discussion platform will be open to representatives of all religious nominations, civil society and public authorities. This will allow solve such an important problem as the promotion of "emerging geopolitical alliance" Moscow - Ankara -
Tehran «and the fruitful cooperation with the peoples of the Eurasian countries for Russia, undergoing "a turn to the East"» [47].
To sum up, it should be noted that the response to a specific global challenge of Russian national identity (historically developed as a state-civilization) requires a strategy of its own identity and policies. Today it is difficult to conduct a balanced policy without the active participation of religious institutions, representing both Orthodox and Muslim community, considering that majority of the population identify themselves with ethnic Orthodox (89-92%) and Muslims (6.9%), in the amount of 97-98% of the population [48].
Russian Islam offers its variant of solving global threats, which has nothing in common with radical Islam. Manifestations of this moderately conservative response in the form of intellectual debate and mindset of Muslims are much more valuable.
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"Islam v sovremennom mire: Vnutrigosudarstvennyii mezhdunarodno-politicheskiy aspekt", Moscow, 2015, Vol. 11, № 2.
O. Shevchenko,
Ph.D. (Philosophy), Associate Professor, the Institute of Sociology and Regional Studies of Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don) XENOPHOBIA AS AN AGENT OF THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY OF STATES AND POLITICAL STABILITY IN THE BLACK SEA-CASPIAN REGION*
The realities of the modern world show two divergent major trends. On the one hand, attempts to create a unified world community are being made, integration processes are gaining momentum and on the other hand disintegration and chaos in the world are growing. These
* The article is written in the framework of the internal SFU grant No. 213.01-07-2014/15 part of the internal project grant "Threats to national security in the conditions of geopolitical competition and models of hostile and aggressive behavior of youth."
