Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Russia is a large, diverse, and complicated country whose far-flung regions maintain their own histories and cultures, even as President Vladimir Putin increases his political control. Powerful, autocratic regimes still need to establish their legitimacy; in Russia, as elsewhere, developing a compelling national narrative and building a sense of pride and belonging in a national identity is key to maintaining a united nation. It can also legitimate political power when leaders present themselves as the nation's champions. Putin's hold thus requires effective nation building-- propagating the ever-evolving and often contested story of who, exactly, is Russian and what, exactly, that means.



Even in the current autocratic system, however, Russia's multiethnic nature and fractured political history mean that not all political symbols work the same way everywhere; not every story finds the same audience in the same way. The message may emanate from Moscow, but regional actors--including local governments, civic organizations, and cultural institutions--have some agency in how they spread the message: some regionalization of identity work is permitted to ensure that Russian national symbols and narratives resonate with people, and to avoid protest. This book investigates how nation building works on the ground through close studies of three of Russia's ethnic republics: Karelia, Tatarstan, and Buryatia. Understanding how the project of legitimating nationalism, in support of a unified country and specifically Putin's regime, works in practice offers crucial context in understanding the shape and story of contemporary Russia.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Through a multimethod analysis of three distinctly different, ethnically non-Russian republics (Karelia, Tatarstan, and Buryatia) in the Russian Federation, Stewart (Knox College) offers an outsider's perspective, but one shaped by the experience of having lived in the capital of each republic. Karelia borders Finland; Tatarstan is a Turkic-speaking, Muslim-majority territory; and Buryatia borders Mongolia and is largely Buddhist. Despite their differences, these sites allow Stewart to generalize about Russia and Putin's methods of legitimizing his power through nation-building, or "legitimating nationalism" as the book calls it, following the title. Examining holiday celebrations and their deviations between regions, regional museums' accommodation of regional diversity, and the use of textbooks as a tool for nation-building, the author finds ways that symbols, spectacles, and nation-building tactics influence group pride and engender a sense of belonging. She considers performative symbols such as flags, monuments, parades, and speeches. Legitimate rule is not always democratic, but it is always performative. Through this examination of the performative norms in three of Russia's ethnic republics, Stewart brings readers closer to understanding how Russia ticks and how Putin has managed to remain in power for so long. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals. --Victoria Clement, Central Asian Insights

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Katie L. Stewart is an associate professor of political science and international relations at Knox College.