Racism in Russia and Its Effects on the Caucasian TESAM Akademi Dergisi - Turkish Journalregion of TESAM and Academy Peoples Ocak - January 2019
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Can KAKIŞIM / Racism in Russia and its Effects on the Caucasian TESAM Akademi Dergisi - Turkish JournalRegion of TESAM and Academy Peoples Ocak - January 2019. 6(1). 97 - 121 ISSN: 2148 – 2462 RACISM IN RUSSIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE CAUCASIAN REGION AND PEOPLES1 Can KAKIŞIM2 Abstract Nowadays, Russia is one of those countries which crucially suffer from the racist sentiments and movements. In this country, radical right has an extensive social base and both ruling party and some other political entities can put forward examples of extreme nationalism. Caucasian-origin people have been the most negatively Caucasian immigrants from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan asinfluenced well as group the Northernfrom these Caucasians approaches already since the holding beginning. Russian The citizenship have been target of numerous violent attacks especially in the 2000s. At the same time, rising racism in Russia strengthens expectations from the government to follow more active imperialist policies as racist groups more intensely defend and voice the rights of the Russians living in the former Soviet republics. Furthermore, between Russia and post-Soviet countries and in this sense, they these groups provide an additional fighting power in the clashes geography. compose a significant dimension of the interstate relations in this Keywords: Russia, Racism, Caucasia, Immigration, United Russia 1 Makalenin Geliş Tarihi: 15.04.2018 [email protected] Kabul Tarihi: 22.01.2019 2 Dr. Öğr. Üyesi, Karabük Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Uluslararası Atıf:İlişkiler Bölümü Öğretim Üyesi. e-mail: peoples. Tesam Akademi Dergisi - Kakışım C. (2019). Racism in Russia and its effects on the caucasian region and , 6(1), 97-121. http: //dx.doi.org/10.30626/tesamaka TESAMdemi.528002 97 TESAM Akademi Dergisi/ Turkish Journal of TESAM Academy Rusya’da Irkçılık ve Bunun Kafkasya Bölgesine ve Halklarına Etkisi Öz Rusya son yıllarda ırkçı düşünceler ve hareketler sebebiyle en fazla sıkıntı yaşayan ülkelerden biri konumundadır. Bu ülkede radikal sağ geniş bir toplumsal tabana sahiptir ve hem iktidar partisi hem de diğer bazı siyasi oluşumlar aşırı milliyetçilik örnekleri ortaya koyabilmektedir. Kafkas kökenliler, başlangıçtan beri, bu yaklaşımlardan en olumsuz biçimde etkilenen grup olmuştur. Gürcistan, Ermenistan ve Azerbaycan’dan bu ülkeye gelen göçmenlerle Rus vatandaşlığına sahip Kuzey Kafkasyalılar 2000’li yıllarda çok sayıda şiddet eyleminin hedefi haline gelmiştir. Aynı zamanda, Rusya’da yükselen ırkçılık, aşırı sağ grupların eski Sovyet cumhuriyetlerinde yaşayan Rusların haklarını daha güçlü olarak savunmaları ve seslendirmelerinden dolayı, hükümetin daha aktif emperyalist politikalar izlemesi yönündeki beklentileri güçlendirmektedir. Üstelik, bu gruplar Rusya ve post-Sovyet ülkeleri arasındaki çatışmalarda destekleyici savaş grupları olarak da işlev görmekte ve böylece bu coğrafyada devletlerarası ilişkilerin kayda değer bir boyutu olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Rusya, Irkçılık, Kafkasya, Göç, Birleşik Rusya TESAM 98 Can KAKIŞIM / Racism in Russia and its Effects on the Caucasian Region and Peoples Introduction and societies began to identify themselves more intensely in the context ofDuring their theethnic, 1990s national ideological and religious conflicts characteristics were replaced thanwith before.identity In issues such a period which brought identity differences to the prominence, it was not surprising that socio-economic problems gave rise to xenophobia and anti-immigrant attitudes. Indeed, in the post-Cold War era, ethno-cultural issues became the most common cause of the political violence and on the Russian Federation as radical right gained considerable power in thisracism country escalated and allaccompanied over the world. with This a heavy point wave necessitates of violence a special in the focuspost- Soviet period. Escalation of extreme nationalism and racism in Russia themade primary great influence cause of onsevere the Caucasianattacks to peoplethe Caucasian living in immigrants the Russian in cities the countryand on theand Caucasian opened door region to newas a dimensionswhole. This indevelopment the relations represents between Russia and the Caucasian states. onThis the study regional is prepared affairs to of answer Caucasia the and basic on questions the Caucasian about thepeople. emergence In the and rise of racism in Russia as an acute problem and its main influences is going to be dealt with and principal political bodies which use and empowerfirst part ofthe the radical study, right process and ofextreme “racist nationalism;movements” andgrowth the inessences Russia of their ideological orientation will be elaborated within this chapter. In the second part, process of racialization of the Caucasians into hostile internal and external factors that strengthened the opposition to the Caucasian-originelements in the Russian people territoryin the country is going are to triedbe examined. to be made To thisclear. end, In sortsthe third of racist section, assaults eventual on theconsequences minorities andof racism immigrants in Russia of Caucasian over the originCaucasians and evolution and the Caucasianof these violent region actions are handled. in the course At this of point, time willfirstly, be told as the most direct effects of racism in Russia on the Caucasian people. foreign policy and use of racist groups within the regional clashes. This chapter also deals with the impact of rising racism over the Russian Rise of Racism in Russia resolved in the most ideal way across the Russian territory and it was In the Soviet era, it was thought that the national question had been TESAM 99 TESAM Akademi Dergisi/ Turkish Journal of TESAM Academy assumed that thanks to the understanding of internationalism and racism and racist actions prevailing in other parts of the world. According to“fraternity this assumption, of peoples”, Soviet an people ultimate had remedy fought againstwas introduced mighty historical against evendifficulties some Afro-Americansby putting their who ethnic choose differences to live in aside the Soviet and established Union based a onstrong the allegationunity under that the racism flag of was communism. completely In externalized this period, there. there Soviet were foreigners or non-Russian subjects within the country and avoided leaders did not establish a relationship of inequality against either these mostplacing historically the Russians experienced as the supreme ethnic group nation. in theThe Soviet Russians Union. were Although rather illustrated as a guiding community or a “big brother” since they were the they were treated as the “first among equals”, this position had not been However,based on anythe approachassumption of patriotismof racial superiority and civic nationalism(Roman, 2002, with pp. regard 2-6). to the cult of common victory against fascism in Russia has nowadays gained a content based much more on national supremacy and now it largely has an ethnic meaning. In fact, the Constitution of the Russian Federation includes various provisions restricting racism. For example, Article 19 freedom regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality, language, origin, possessionprescribes that and the rank, state residence, secures equality religion, of convictionpeople and orcitizens’ membership rights and of ethnic, national, linguistic or religious grounds. Additionally, Article 29public prohibits associations propaganda and bans and any agitation limitation on ethnic, of peoples’ national, rights religious on social, or linguistic supremacy and strictly condemns all sorts of activities which would allow ethnic, national, religious senses of hate among people Nevertheless, although the constitution contains certain principles along these lines, problems created(The Constitution by the rise of of Russian radical-right Federation, wing since 1993). the 1990s suggested that aforesaid provisions were seriously breached (Asker, 2016, p. 176). Today, inclinationsa considerable depend part of upon the Russiansthe racial identifies prejudices themselves which are with put “whatin practice they are not” with respect to “others” rather than “what they are”, and these at both social dimension and official level. development of the radical-right wing in Russia as the disappearance of thisThe statecollapse from of the the stage Soviet of historyUnion indicates initiated a mentalsignificant transformation milestone in in the all 100 TESAM Can KAKIŞIM / Racism in Russia and its Effects on the Caucasian Region and Peoples aspects in the country. The trauma caused by the fall of Russia from the mythicizinggreat power (velikoderzhavnost)of national past from status a romantic and the point establishment of view. In of this a Western regard, influence across the “natural” Russian zone of influence has triggered the ethnic Russian nationalism. Indeed, aftermath of the fragmentation of the Sovietthe ideological Union, the vacuum process created of self-reinvention by the fall ofexperienced socialism inwas other filled former with Soviet Republics existed for the Russians as well, and the Russian people also began to construct their national identity. In line with this purpose, as portrayed as the purest members of the white race by emphasizing their it was inspired from the European racist movements, the Russians were Aryan origins and Slavs’ natural skills to establish civilization (Laruelle, In2008, the pp.meantime, 292-293). the great economic problems