Russian nationalism: between imperialism and xenophobia

Abstract

The two major subcurrents within nationalism in Russia are imperial nationalism, which rests on the notion of Russia’s political and cultural dominance in the region, and xenophobic nationalism, based on ethnic criteria and directed against immigrants. The Russian government uses both trends: by carrying out imperial nationalist policies (crowned recently with the annexation of Crimea) and by ‘managing’ xenophobic sentiments—channelling social discontent and directing it against immigrants, but preventing any nationalist force from gaining influence by using the same agenda. Both trends are also represented in Russian society, which has welcomed Russia’s annexation of Crimea, on one hand, and shows growing resentment towards non-Slavic immigrants, on the other. In the coming years, an accumulation of economic problems and decreasingly efficient state management are likely to boost social tensions in Russia. In this situation, the government will likely try to redirect this discontent against its ‘eternal’ opponents—the West, Russia’s internal opposition, oligarchs and immigrants—further fuelling nationalist sentiments in Russian society.