Barash R. Civil Identity of Russia's Citizens: its Dynamics and Prospects. Bulletin of the Russian Philosophical Society. 2020. No. 1-2 (91-92). P. 94-104.

Abstract

Applying as to the methodology of political analysis, to the data of the longterm sociological studies the author inquires how the ideas about the basic foundations of a civil nation among Russians have changed. Claiming that contemporary post-Soviet civil identity is crystallized around the Soviet mythology the author announces that the widespread narrative of “returning Crimea home” was largely a result of the desire of a number of Russians to reactualize the system of collective myths and ideas that developed in Russian society by the mid 2010s. Since Soviet mythology was one of the fundamental attributes of collective Russian identity, many Russians perceived the annexation of Crimea as a defense against growing foreign policy isolation and otherworldly civilization. At the same time, as the author points out, interest in national selfdetermination was replaced by Russians’ sympathies for ideas of national diversity. Which, to a large extent, is probably due to the fact that, by the example of the Crimea, very many citizens were convinced that the implementation of messianic projects, including the “Russian project”, is literally expensive.