Factors of Strengthening Russian Identity in Crimea and Donbass in the Context of Memory Politics and Symbolic Policy

The study aims to identify the similarities and differences between the factors of strengthening Russian national identity in Crimea and Donbas (2014–2024) in the context of memory policy and symbolic policy. The research question is what is the combination of factors for strengthening Russian identity in the new subjects of the federation and why there are differences in the prevalence of Russian identity in the compared regions. The methodological basis of the research is social constructivism. Systematic, comparative-functional and cross-regional comparative analysis methods are used. A cross-temporal comparison of the results of questionnaires and population censuses is carried out. Such factors of strengthening Russian identity in Crimea and Donbas as the historical memory of regional communities, changes in the ethnic and linguistic composition of the population, urbanization, and the composition and practices of the subjects of identity politics have been identified. Based on the results of questionnaires and population censuses, it was found that middle-aged and elderly people, ethnic Russians, men, and residents of large cities with higher education are most likely to share Russian national identity. The multiethnic and multi-confessional communities of Crimea and Donbass determine the uneven strengthening of Russian identity; this process also depends on the duration of the policy aimed at reintegration with Russia. Therefore, Russian identity in Crimea, especially in industrial cities (Sevastopol, Kerch), is more consolidated than in the recently liberated areas of Donbass, for example, Mariupol. The research reveals the composition of the subjects of identity policy in the new subjects of the federation, which include federal and regional governmental bodies, local governments, political parties, educational institutions and museums, national cultural and religious organizations. Comparing the results of opinion polls, despite their fragmentary nature, the study assumes that the strengthening of Russian identity in Crimea and Donbas was noted in the context of a Special military operation. This is due to the actualization of historical traditions, the adaptation of society to military conditions, and the consolidation of Russian society in the face of a geopolitical threat.

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