Diversity or Unity: Interpreting the Discourse of a Multi-Ethnic Russian Nation in Kazan

Abstract

This article explores bottom-up responses to the Kremlin’s approach to nation-building in a multi-ethnic state. How do residents of ethnically mixed cities navigate conflicting themes of unity and diversity in the federal discourse of Russia as a multi-ethnic nation (mnogonatsional'nyi narod)? This discourse runs counter to assimilative policies and a concurrent vision of Russia as a civilisation rooted in Slavic culture. In the diverse city of Kazan, the discourse is shown to be easily adopted by residents in narrating belonging, while being a problematic basis for nation-building. The discussion highlights the importance of regional and ethnic subject positions in bottom-up engagement with nation-building in Russia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The Constitution of the Russian Federation, 1993, available at: http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-01.htm, accessed 2 January 2023.

2 Regions negotiated different agreements with Moscow, resulting in an ‘asymmetric’ federation. In the stand-out case of Tatarstan, the republic gained control over its budget and taxes, and the right to conduct economic affairs and international relations independently of Moscow (Williams 2011).

3 The Constitution of the Russian Federation, 1993, available at: http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-01.htm, accessed 2 January 2023.

4 Novyi tekst Konstitutsii RF s popravkami 2020, Gosudarstvennaya Duma Federal’nogo Sobraniya Rossiiskoi Federatsii, available at: http://duma.gov.ru/news/48953/, accessed 1 February 2023.

5 Strategiya natsional’noi bezopasnosti Rossiiskoi Federatsii, The Kremlin, 2 July 2021, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/47046, accessed 7 July 2023.

6 Strategiya natsional’noi bezopasnosti Rossiiskoi Federatsii, The Kremlin, 2 July 2021, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/47046, accessed 7 July 2023.

7 Interview with Georgii, 31, Russian, teacher, Kazan, 4 May 2018.

8 Interview with Zukhra, 57, Tatar, pensioner, Kazan, 22 April 2018.

9 Interview with Sofia, 35, Jewish, public relations consultant, Kazan, 3 October 2017.

10 Interview with Pavel, 32, Russian, lighting engineer, Kazan, 28 September 2017.

11 Interview with Alyona, 24, Kreshen Tatar, musician, Kazan, 1 October 2017.

12 Interview with Tamara, 46, Jewish, psychologist, Kazan, 25 April 2018.

13 Interview with Georgii, 31, Russian, teacher, Kazan, 4 May 2018.

14 Interview with Varvara, 66, Russian, pensioner, Kazan, 28 April 2018.

15 Interview with Mikhail, 67, Russian, psychologist, Kazan, 25 April 2018.

16 Interview with Dawit, 25, Bashkir, writer, Kazan, 5 May 2018.

17 Interview with Valeria, 30, Russian, teacher, Kazan, 22 September 2017.

18 Interview with Rasul, 33, Tatar, teacher, Kazan, 7 May 2018.

19 Interview with Vera, 33, Russian, graphic designer, Kazan, 11 May 2018.

20 Interview with Marat, 32, Tatar, museum worker, Kazan, 8 May 2018.

21 Interview with Marat, 32, Tatar, museum worker, Kazan, 8 May 2018.

22 Interview with Rasul, 33, Tatar, teacher, Kazan, 7 May 2018.

23 Interview with Laysan, 67, Tatar, teacher, Kazan, 3 October 2017.

24 Interview with Alyona, 24, Kreshen Tatar, musician, Kazan, 1 October 2017.

25 Interview with Georgii, 31, Russian, teacher, Kazan, 4 May 2018.

26 Headline from an article on a 2016 Kremlin project to legally declare a cross-ethnic Russian nation, later abandoned, available at: https://regnum.ru/news/2200326.html, accessed 2 January 2023.

27 Interview with Darina, 28, Russian, musician, Kazan, 2 October 2017.

28 Interview with Darina, 28, Russian, musician, Kazan, 2 October 2017.

29 Interview with Liana, 32, events manager, Kazan, 3 October 2017.

30 Interview with Anton, 35, Russian, electrician, Kazan, 28 April 2018.

31 Interview with Anton, 35, Russian, electrician, Kazan, 28 April 2018.

32 Interview with Alsu, 25, Tatar, PhD student, Kazan, 19 April 2018.

33 Interview with Tamara, 46, Jewish, psychologist, Kazan, 25 April 2018.

34 Interview with Rezeda, 28, Tatar, sales manager, Kazan, 30 September 2017.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Centre for Research in Communication and Culture at Loughborough University, and by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) with a Dudley Stamp Memorial Award (grant number 28.18). The research for the article was conducted while the author was at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Loughborough University.

Notes on contributors

Leila Wilmers

Leila Wilmers, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. Email: [email protected]