Panrussianism in Russia’s great power and imperial identity

• Authors: Stanisław Bieleń
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Against the background of its rich great power history, the modern Russia is seeking its new identity. There is a clash of two tendencies in this process – opening to Western ideas and values, and seeking refuge in the “intrinsic Russian civilization”. As part of the quest to justify its restoration (neoimperial) and reintegration projects in the post-Soviet space, Russia invokes the idea of Panrussianism. It means a desire for a political, not only ethno-cultural and linguistic (Russkiy mir), identification of the population of imperial lineage with Russia. By restoring Russia’s responsibility for the great postimperial space, the Russians compensate for their various inconveniences and historical humiliations. They crave “national greatness” and a restoration of “Russia’s past glory”. In this sense, Panrussianism has an undercurrent of revanchism and geopolitical revisionism.

Keywords

EN

Russia,; great power traditions,; imperial identity,; panrussianism

• Publisher: Instytut Nauk Politycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
• Journal: Studia Politologiczne
• Year: 2016
• Volume: 40
• Pages: 121-139

Contributors

author

Stanisław Bieleń