Presentation of a new book by the SOVA Center

On November 20, 2007, a presentation of a new book by the SOVA Center, “The Tops and Bottoms of Russian Nationalism,” was held at Intrefax in Moscow.

The press conference was attended by representatives of the SOVA Center Alexander Verkhovsky and Galina Kozhevnikova, RSUH professor Galina Zvereva and sociologist of the European University of St. Petersburg Tatyana Smirnova.

Galina Kozhevnikova outlined the main trends in the development of radical nationalism in recent years - the growth of radical violence, the consolidation of a number of far-right groups and the possibility of them carrying out joint actions on an all-Russian scale, the use of xenophobic rhetoric by law enforcement officers, deputies, and officials of the highest rank. Counteraction to radical nationalism by the state, primarily by law enforcement agencies, as G. Kozhevnikova noted, although it has improved in recent years, it lags significantly even behind the scale of violence, not to mention other manifestations of radical nationalism.

Galina Zvereva focused on the problem of xenophobic rhetoric of the political elite, primarily on the “Russian Project” of United Russia, which is a way of legitimizing and conceptualizing everyday xenophobia. Taking it to a new level, the level of building a national ideology on its basis. At the same time, there is no doubt that by the word “Russian” the authors of the project mean precisely ethnicity.

Tatyana Smirnova drew the attention of those gathered to the fact that ideological projects are aimed not only at adults, but also at children. A typical ideological project is, in particular, the cartoon "Prince Vladimir", where the division of characters into the group "we" and the group "they" is clearly visible, and this division is visualized using ethnic stereotypes ("we" Russians are fair-haired, blue-eyed, freckled, “they” are the Pechenegs - black-haired, narrow-eyed, wide-cheeked). Moreover, “We-group” is the bearer of exclusively positive qualities, and “they” (Pechenegs and Varangians) are the only cause of all troubles and disorder, they represent both the external and internal enemy. At the same time, for example, the only “positive” character from the Pecheneg camp, the young son of the khan, turns out to be the only character of the “they” group who does not have pronounced ethnic traits. In these and other rather simple ways, the authors of the cartoon consciously or unconsciously, according to T. Smirnova. , form an ethnic stereotype of an “alien,” especially among children.

Alexander Verkhovsky noted serious changes in the ideological constructs of the Russian far-right, and public discourse in general. Previously, right-wing radicals were marginal, they sought to build clear, structured political organizations, and their views themselves were not taken seriously by the majority of the population. Now the ultra-right have become to some extent “closer to the people,” on the one hand, because their rhetoric has become much clearer, it appeals to really existing social problems, simply refracting them in a direction favorable to the ultranationalists, and on the other hand, because The level of domestic xenophobia in the last decade has reached its maximum levels and stabilized. Those. xenophobia has become popular among the majority. The far-right themselves strive for respectability, appealing to the experience and rhetoric of far-right organizations in Western Europe. And the state cannot offer an alternative xenophobic concept.

Then the participants of the press conference answered questions from journalists.

See also

Sources

• Human rights activists note an increase in manifestations of xenophobia in Russia // New Region. 2007. November 20.
• Pro-Kremlin Nazism // Kasparov.Ru. 2007. November 20.
• The growth of crime on nationalist grounds in Russia reaches 20% per year - human rights activist // Interfax. 2007. November 20.
• Nazi is not happy in prison // New news. 2007. November 21.
• Moshkin M. Games of patriots // Time of news. 2007. November 21.