Russian National Identity in 2010

Abstract

The dominant theme in Russian identity discourse is ‘conservative modernisation’. It defines Russia first and foremost by relating it to the hegemonic Western modernity and constantly questioning the country’s belonging to Europe. As a consequence, it advocates cautious reform while emphasising political stability as the primary value. The only significant counter-discourse is centred around the concept of class: it problematises social inequality, corruption and the power of bureaucracy. The other distinct features of the national identity discourse are the relatively low prominence of foreign policy themes and historical Others. Findings indicate that Dmitry Medvedev’s modernisation, although far from being an idiosyncratic project of a temporary and insignificant political leader, resonated to some extent with the wider society. The ground was prepared by the centuries-old Russian tradition of self-Orientalisation (mostly by constantly comparing the Russian realities with the idealised image of the West), combined with the fundamentally modern self-understanding of most Russians. The Russian people also appreciated the prospect of further improvements in their quality of life while continuing to live in an open country. There was a consensus regarding the need to maintain stability; the programme of gradual reform promoted by the government was not reflected in the mass identity discourse in either positive or negative way. The dominant discourse also emphasised unity and the strong state. These aspects were, however, challenged by the alternative discourse, which re-articulated Russia’s identity in terms of class difference and widespread social injustice. Corruption and the feeling of powerlessness in the face of the ruling elites were major elements of the mass discourse in 2010. The Soviet past was still an important element of national identity, but we did not find any strong predominance of either negative or nostalgic attitude. This is particularly relevant to the memory of Stalinism, which was not a major element of national identity discourse outside of history textbooks.