The contemporary Russian state identity policy: normative aspect

The article examines the transformation of the Russian state identity policy in the context of modern challenges. In the situation of global geopolitical changes and threats to Russia’s political stability and sovereignty from a group of unfriendly states, the need to consolidate society through the implementation of a balanced identity policy is actualized. The theoretical basis of the work is the concepts of securitization and ontological security. The current and previous editions of key strategic documents on domestic and foreign policy, as well as the latest presidential program statements are used as empirical material. These sources define the normative basis and directions of the identity policy realization in the Russian Federation, their consideration allows us to determine the elements of positive and negative formation of the all-Russian identity at the present stage. The author also analyzes the changes in the official rhetoric related to national identity on the example of program statements of the President of the Russian Federation. The main research method is a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of normative-legal documents, which allows to identify the key categories and directions of identity policy development. Official political and legal documents stress out not only the appeal to identity, but also emphasize the increase in potential threats to national security, sovereignty, and Russian values. The article concludes that there is a growing trend towards the securitization of identity in Russia, which highlights the relevance of the study from the point of view of national and global security.

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