TY - CHAP

T1 - Colonial Discourse in the Ideology of Contemporary Russian Nationalist Intellectuals

AU - Бобров, Иван Владимирович

AU - Михайлов, Дмитрий

PY - 2018/7/11

Y1 - 2018/7/11

N2 - Usage of the colonial discourse as a way to represent social relationships provides additional opportunities for the analysis of the political situation in Russia. The object of research is the work of contemporary intellectuals who identify themselves as "Russian nationalists." A significant role in the development and promotion of nationalistic ideology is played by a community formed around the magazine "Voprosy natsionalizma" and internet project "Sputnik i Pogrom." Russia is seen as a cryptocolony of Great Britain. Caucasians are traditionally seen as main representatives of the colonial administration. Actions of liberal public figures also apply to the manifestations of colonization. At the same time, the idea of hidden forms of enslavement implicates formulation of the internal colonialism idea: national elites, who "realized" the tragedy, are reflecting on the theme of Russians, who don't understand the situation. Internal colonialism of nationalists differs from the ideology of Russian liberals, because of less expressed desire to change people. "Backwardness" is interpreted by them as "special qualities" and romanticized as the criterion of "Russianness." This does not mean that contemporary Russian nationalist intellectuals were deprived from the "complex of the progressor." "Wildness" and "conservatism" are treated by Russian nationalism not as inherent properties but as the qualities imposed by an external enemy. That's why there exists little perceptible difference between the goals of education - concerning the liberals, and cleansing - in the case of the nationalists. The versatility of the rhetoric of internal colonialism, which is manifested in the reproduction of the cultural distance between the elite and the masses, allows for the attraction of the theoretical foundation, formulated by nationalistic intellectuals in an attempt to solve this problem. Conclusions are made regarding the fundamental conflictual nature of intellectuals, because the objectification of discourse will inevitably reproduce the inequalities, inherent in their status.

AB - Usage of the colonial discourse as a way to represent social relationships provides additional opportunities for the analysis of the political situation in Russia. The object of research is the work of contemporary intellectuals who identify themselves as "Russian nationalists." A significant role in the development and promotion of nationalistic ideology is played by a community formed around the magazine "Voprosy natsionalizma" and internet project "Sputnik i Pogrom." Russia is seen as a cryptocolony of Great Britain. Caucasians are traditionally seen as main representatives of the colonial administration. Actions of liberal public figures also apply to the manifestations of colonization. At the same time, the idea of hidden forms of enslavement implicates formulation of the internal colonialism idea: national elites, who "realized" the tragedy, are reflecting on the theme of Russians, who don't understand the situation. Internal colonialism of nationalists differs from the ideology of Russian liberals, because of less expressed desire to change people. "Backwardness" is interpreted by them as "special qualities" and romanticized as the criterion of "Russianness." This does not mean that contemporary Russian nationalist intellectuals were deprived from the "complex of the progressor." "Wildness" and "conservatism" are treated by Russian nationalism not as inherent properties but as the qualities imposed by an external enemy. That's why there exists little perceptible difference between the goals of education - concerning the liberals, and cleansing - in the case of the nationalists. The versatility of the rhetoric of internal colonialism, which is manifested in the reproduction of the cultural distance between the elite and the masses, allows for the attraction of the theoretical foundation, formulated by nationalistic intellectuals in an attempt to solve this problem. Conclusions are made regarding the fundamental conflictual nature of intellectuals, because the objectification of discourse will inevitably reproduce the inequalities, inherent in their status.

KW - Colonialism

KW - Contemporary russian nationalism

KW - Galkovsky

KW - Orientalism

KW - Postcolonialism

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059240593&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-1-53614-117-7

SP - 143

EP - 159

BT - Nationalism, National Identity and Movements

A2 - Jensen, Joel

A2 - Carter, Dale

PB - Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

ER -