Constructing an all-Russian identity in the context of geopolitical confrontation: theoretical and applied analysis

Abstract

Introduction. The new geopolitical reality that emerged after the post-Crimean transformation marked the milestone from which the civilizational turn in the development of Russian society began. It became not only a response to foreign policy challenges, but also a manifestation of the internal need to rethink national identity through the values of historical continuity and cultural sovereignty. Under these conditions, there was a value-normative reorientation of public consciousness aimed at affirming patriotism, prioritizing national interests and consolidating society around spiritual and moral foundations. The purpose of the research is a political analysis of the transformation of Russian civic identity, identifying key determinants and mechanisms of institutionalization of new value orientations. The methodological framework is a synthesis of classical and modern approaches, providing a multi-level analysis of identity in the context of geopolitical turbulence. The research is based on the civilizational paradigm of A.S. Panarin, the constructivist approach of E. Gellner and B. Anderson, the theory of moral foundations by J. Haidt, as well as the ideas of P. Berger and T. Lukman on the social construction of reality. Within the framework of the models of T. Parsons and D. Easton analyzes the functions of political identity in ensuring the stability and adaptability of the political system. The methods of discourse analysis, historical-comparative and institutional analysis are used to identify the mechanisms of formation of modern Russian identity. Results. The results show that the genesis of a new identity is determined by a complex of exogenous and endogenous factors: global geopolitical competition and the transformation of international relations, as well as the consequences of the socio-economic and value crisis of the 1990s. Adoption of Decree of the President of the Russian Federation № 809 dated 09.11.2022 «On the approval of the Foundations of state policy for the preservation and strengthening of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values» institutionalized traditional values as the basis of state policy, consistent with the logic of constructing civic identity. Conclusions. As a result of the research, it is concluded that modern Russian identity is formed on the basis of the statist model of patriotism, combining traditions and historical memory. The key issues are ensuring a balance between inclusive civic and ethno-cultural identity, as well as overcoming post-Soviet value pluralism. The effectiveness of civilizational consolidation depends on the ability of the state to integrate diverse elements of political culture into a single system of national meanings.