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Nationalism in the USSR: A historical and comparative perspective

Author

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  • Andrey Shcherbak

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics)

Abstract

The late 1980s and early 1990s were characterized by the sudden rise of nationalist movements in almost all Soviet ethnic regions. It is argued that the rise of political nationalism since the late 1980s can be explained by development of cultural nationalism in the previous decades, as an unintended outcome of communist nationalities policy. Soviet political and cultural nationalism is studied in historical and comparative perspective. All ethnic regions are examined throughout entire history of the Soviet Union (49 regions, 1917-91), using the structural equation modeling approach. This paper aims to make at least three contributions in the field. Firstly, it is a methodological contribution for studying nationalism: a ‘quantification of history’ approach. Quantitative values are assigned to historical trends and events. Having constructed variables from historical data, I use conventional statistical methods like SEM. Secondly, this paper contributes to the theoretical debate about the role of cultural autonomy in multiethnic states. The results rethink the notion of ‘cultural autonomy’ as solution of interethnic conflict. Cultural nationalism matters, it indirectly reinforces political nationalism. In both cases concessions in the cultural domain has not stopped the growth of political nationalism in the late 1980-s. Finally, the paper statistically proves that the break between early Soviet and Stalinist nationalities policy explains the entire Soviet nationalities policy. In fact, the late Soviet nationalities policy was inherited from the Stalin’s rule period. This finding revealed in other studies now gets statistical evidence.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrey Shcherbak, 2013. "Nationalism in the USSR: A historical and comparative perspective," HSE Working papers WP BRP 27/SOC/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:27/soc/2013
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    File URL: http://www.hse.ru/data/2013/12/12/1339832905/27SOC2013.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Silver, Brian, 1974. "Social Mobilization and the Russification of Soviet Nationalities," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 68(1), pages 45-66, March.
    2. Bunce, Valerie, 1983. "The Political Economy of the Brezhnev Era: The Rise and Fall of Corporatism," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 129-158, April.
    3. Brian Silver, 1974. "The status of national minority languages in Soviet education: An assessment of recent changes," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 28-40.
    4. John Miller, 1977. "Cadres policy in nationality areas," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 3-36.
    5. Dmitry Gorenburg, 2001. "Nationalism for the Masses: Popular Support for Nationalism in Russia's Ethnic Republics," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(1), pages 73-104.
    6. Roman Solchanyk, 1982. "Russian language and Soviet politics," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 23-42.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    nationalism; ethnicity; culture; USSR; SEM;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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