Yabloko conference “Threats of extremism and xenophobia among youth: a liberal response”

On April 21, Moscow hosted an international conference “Threats of extremism and xenophobia in youth environment: a liberal response”, organized by the party “Yabloko” with the participation of European Party of Liberal Democrats and Liberal International. Let's take a look at some of the presentations at the conference.

Grigory Yavlinsky focused his attention on the general socio-political prerequisites the formation of xenophobia in Russia and added that their significance for Russia is much more than the importance of other factors in common with Europe.

Emil Pain, Leading Researcher, Research Sector Xenophobia and Prevention of Extremism Institute of Sociology RAS, spoke of the rising wave of anti-rationalism and anti-liberalism in the world. He noted that the new mythological consciousness is based largely on postmodern criticism (for example, uses anti-colonial discourse). But Payin also noted certain sprouts of the return movement, which he called neomodern. This is manifested, for example, in the criticism of multiculturalism with liberal positions. Payin also suggested that the mythological (fundamentalist, in his terminology) the beginning gradually recedes even in Russian nationalism.

Alexander Verkhovsky, director of the SOVA Center, suggested a brief overview of the evolution of approaches to the concept of "extremism" in post-Soviet Russia and formulated the main contradictions of the approach that has developed to the present time. An overly inclusive understanding of “extremism” not only leads to numerous violations of human rights, but also reduces the effectiveness in countering truly dangerous forms of political and ideological radicalism, directly or indirectly associated with the use of violence. Verkhovsky proposed to focus repressive mechanisms precisely on such forms and not to transfer political science concepts to the sphere of law.

In the latter, he was supported by the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Vladimir Lukin. He believes that concepts like "extremism" can be used in conceptual foundations, but cannot be included in laws, because they contradict the principle of legal certainty.

Grande Trine Skye, leader of the Venstre party (Norway), stressed that in in countering xenophobia, it is important to preserve freedom of speech, since repressions are not can solve this problem.

Galina Mikhaleva, executive secretary of the political committee "Yabloko", sees the fundamental reason for the growth of xenophobia in the absence of a society of "constitutional consensus" on basic values. She also emphasized that the use by the authorities of the categories of “civilizational peculiarity” Russia opens the way for the legitimization of nationalism.

Ivan Bolshakov, chairman of the Yabloko commission on youth politics and a member of the federal council of the party, presented an overview of the use of violence and propaganda of hatred in the activities of youth organizations. He started with pro-Kremlin organizations, from Nashi to the Eurasian Youth Union, and beyond spoke about part of the opposition organizations - the Anarchist Guerilla, the NBP and "Other Russia", nationalists, the "War" group.

Dmitry Ilyushin, also a member of Yabloko's federal council, believes that the use of violence by the authorities provokes opposition groups to the use of violence. As an example, he cited force pressure on defenders. Khimki forest and antifa retaliatory attack on the administration of Khimki.

Sources

• Inc. inf.
• Zakatnova A. "Yabloko" with European liberals fought extremism // Russian newspaper. 2012. April 23.
• Liberals assessed the level of xenophobia // Russian newspaper. 2012. April 21.
• Participants of the international conference "Threats of extremism and xenophobia: a liberal response" adopted a final resolution // Apple. 2012. April 21.
• Liberals look for a response to the threats of extremism and xenophobia at an international conference in Moscow // Special letter. 2012. April 21.