University of Wisconsin Press colophon
 
 

 

 

University of Wisconsin Madison crest that links to main university site

Association of University Presses member logo that links to main AUPresses site

 

 

Catalog Archive / Spring 2024

Legitimating Nationalism
Political Identity in Russia’s Ethnic Republics

“An outstanding book on a fascinating topic—a major contribution. Impressive, unique fieldwork on Russia’s ethnic minority regions contributes to a discussion of unprecedented depth and richness that enriches our understanding of how Russian nation building actually plays out.”
—Henry E. Hale, author of Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective

Understanding the deployment of nation building in Russia

Russia is a large, diverse, and complicated country whose far-flung regions maintain their own histories and cultures, even as President Vladimir Putin increases his political control. Powerful, autocratic regimes still need to establish their legitimacy; in Russia, as elsewhere, developing a compelling national narrative and building a sense of pride and belonging in a national identity is key to maintaining a united nation. It can also legitimate political power when leaders present themselves as the nation’s champions. Putin’s hold thus requires effective nation building— propagating the ever-evolving and often contested story of who, exactly, is Russian and what, exactly, that means.

Even in the current autocratic system, however, Russia’s multiethnic nature and fractured political history mean that not all political symbols work the same way everywhere; not every story finds the same audience in the same way. The message may emanate from Moscow, but regional actors—including local governments, civic organizations, and cultural institutions—have some agency in how they spread the message: some regionalization of identity work is permitted to ensure that Russian national symbols and narratives resonate with people, and to avoid protest. This book investigates how nation building works on the ground through close studies of three of Russia’s ethnic republics: Karelia, Tatarstan, and Buryatia. Understanding how the project of legitimating nationalism, in support of a unified country and specifically Putin’s regime, works in practice offers crucial context in understanding the shape and story of contemporary Russia.

 

Katie L. Stewart is an associate professor of political science and international relations at Knox College.

Author's Website - https://klstewart.wordpress.com/

 

 

Praise

“Addresses how the Kremlin’s nation-building strategy has been implemented in Russia’s multiethnic locales. The issue of coevolving, identity-building projects at various levels in Russia is potentially crucial for Russia’s future, and this is an original inquiry into the heart of these processes.”
—Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, author of The Red Mirror: Putin’s Leadership and Russia’s Insecure Identity

 

Resources

Download Cover: color | b/w

Request Review Copy

Request Exam Copy

 

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Preface and Acknowledgments
Note on Translation and Transliteration

Introduction

Part I
1. A Theory of Legitimating Nationalism
2. The Effectiveness of Legitimating Nationalism

Part II
3. Marking the Nation: Capital City Monuments
4. Celebrating the Nation: Holidays in Russia’s Regions
5. Curating the Nation: Regional Museums
6. Teaching the Nation: Regional History Textbooks
Conclusion

Appendixes
Notes
References
Index

 


Of Related Interest


Black Earth, White Bread: Cover showing tractors on a large plot of land leaving stripes in the ground behind them. 'BLACK EARTH' is written in black text and 'WHITE BREAD' is written in white text, with a red, vertical line between the two phrases.

Black Earth, White Bread
A Technopolitical History of Russian Agriculture and Food
Susanne A. Wengle

It Will Be Fun and Terrifying: Cover showing three people, one of whom is wearing an arm band, standing on a bridge. The photograph is tinted red, contrasting with the cream and white of the title text.

It Will Be Fun and Terrifying
Nationalism and Protest in Post-Soviet Russia
Fabrizio Fenghi

Legitimating Nationalism: cover depicting a statue of a man holding a long bow, his back hand open, as if he just shot an arrow. The background is blue at the top but fades to white. The title text is written in contrasting red font.

Larger images

June 2024
LC: 2023043894
312 pp. 6 x 9
15 b/w illus., 26 tables

Book icon
Cloth $89.95 S
ISBN 9780299347703
Shopping cart ADD TO CART
Review Cart