Imperial nationalism: emergence, evolution and political prospects in Russia
E. PAIN*
Pain Emil - doctor of politics (DSc), professor of the Department of State and Municipal Management of the National Research University - Higher School of Economics, leading staff scientist of the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 24/35, hous. 5, Krzhizhanovsky St., Moscow, 117218, Russian Fcdration. E-mail: painca@mail.ru.
Abstract
The author responds to fundamental theoretical problem about the reasons for the reproduction of some imperial characteristics in the politics of post-Soviet Russia and proposes his theoretical construct 'imperial syndrome'. The bulk of the article addresses the specific characteristics of the evolution of the idea of the nation and nationalism in Russia. It attempts to answer the question of why the European idea of the nation, subsequently turned into an anti-western concept of imperial nationalism. The article ends with an analysis of Russian nationalism's political prospects.
Keywords: nationalism, Russian nationalism, empire, imperial syndrome, the political prospects of Russia.