RUSSIA'S POLITICS OF MULTICULTURAL RECOGNITION

In: Peace review: the international quarterly of world peace, Band 10, Heft 2, S. 165-171

Abstract

ONE OF THE CENTRAL QUESTIONS FACING RUSSIA IS WHETHER IT CAN ACCOMMODATE A FEDERAL SOLUTION TO A MULTICULTURALISM THAT CALLS FOR POLITICAL RECOGNITION OR WHETHER IT IS ADOPTING SELF-DEFEATING STRUCTURES SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VERY SECESSIONIST FORCES FEDERATION TRIES TO CONTROL. THIS NECESSARILY INVOLVES EXPLORING WHAT MIGHT BEST BE DESCRIBED AS A TENSION WITHIN FEDERAL POLITICS CONCERNING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP RIGHTS -- THE PROBLEM OF RECONCILING LIBERALISM AND NATIONALISM, WHICH MIGHT PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR WHAT CAN BE CALLED "SUSTAINABLE FEDERALISM." THIS ENTAILS FEDERALISM NOT ONLY GROUNDED IN THE USUAL ELEMENTS HIGHLY VALUED IN DEMOCRATIC FEDERATIONS -- TOLERATION, RESPECT, COMPROMISE, AND BARGAINING -- BUT ALSO ONE THAT ALLOWS FOR MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHT TO BE CULTURALLY DIFFERENT AS WELL AS SAFEGUARDING EQUALITY OF CITIZENS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.