Interethnic Accord in the Context of Some Socio-political Orientations (According to Moscow Region Experience)

The article1 based on the sociological research of interethnic accord problems data, analyzes some socio‑political orientations of Muscovites, along with the issues of interethnic interaction, as well as the influence of conscience status in socio‑political sphere on their consolidation as the Russian nation. The empirical basis of the article is a sociological research oriented at a multilateral study of the interethnic accord problem in the Russian region, in Moscow at this stage. This work is carried out by the Research Center of Cross‑National Relations within the Sociology Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The overall situation in the sphere under research is characterized in today’s Russia by the Russians’ low public and political activity, poor interest for human rights observation and values of civil liberties. Our data collected in Moscow confirm this fact and show in addition the maximal urge for equality before the law. There are two key items for analysis in the article, i.e. choice of freedom and attitude of Russians towards the Western way of life. Making choice between such values as freedom and material well‑being, our respondents often give priority to the former, but the concept of freedom in Russian cultural context does not always coincide with its understanding in the spirit of liberal values. The majority of respondents are also of the opinion that Russia does not need the Western way of life. These items were analyzed in relation to such orientations of interethnic interaction as willingness to accept people of other ethnic origin in different life spheres, readiness to protect their national interests (by any and all means), admissibility of violence in the event of encroachment upon national interests, attitude towards the limitation of people’s from other Russian Republics coming to Moscow, the Russians’ status in the country. The key conclusion of the article is that the orientation for freedom as opposed to material well‑being, and the opinion that Russia should live according to the same rules as Western countries, are consistent with more positive sets in the interethnic interaction.

interethnic accord, identity, orientations, socio‑political orientations