Identity models of political actors in contemporary Russia

Abstract

The article discusses problems of fragmentation, unformedness, inconsistency of different population groups’ political identity models in contemporary Russia. The author is convinced that neither a political elite nor an active public can currently offer any attractive positive image of the «Russia project», therefore their ability to control such an attitude of mass political consciousness as political identity is considerably reduced. The author believes that researchers cannot build a universal classification of political identity models for different societies, despite having a basic matrix of state and political identity and some essential characteristics that set a spectrum of political assessments. Nevertheless, classical system approach of political identity models, assessing essential characteristics, influence factors, adaptation possibilities, political and social effects, provides a fairly accurate understanding of this phenomenon.