Home – Home – Jornals – "Philosophy of Education" 2017 number 4

The article analyzes the transformation of the idea of unity and harmonization of interethnic relations in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The reasons are identified, which has exacerbated the situation of interethnic relations in the USSR in the second half of the 80s of the twentieth century and led to the «parade of sovereignties» in the national republics and autonomies. One of the reasons was the effectively conducted throughout the period of Soviet power policy of «indigenization», which was not in contradiction with the ideas of international education, but led to the strengthening of the ruling elites of the titular nationalities. As a result, in the early 90-ies of the twentieth century, instead of the concept of a multicultural society, there was put forward the idea of a multicultural variety of ethnic groups, the basis of the interaction of which was only cooperation on a contractual basis. The aggravation of the economic, social and political contradictions brought to the surface the national and the ethnic contradictions. It is emphasized that political debate and a long process of division of powers between the Federal centre and regional authorities began to be broadcasted by the education system and culture. As a result, by the end of the twentieth century, a new generation of people was formed, which worship of Western values and hate the Soviet past, which, however, was permeated with the idea of international education. Thus, the idea of unity of peoples of Russia was indirectly rejected. The shift towards Western values has resulted in Russia in the inversion of the basic principles of social organization, which involved all segments of the population into the adaptive and maladaptive processes, the dynamism of which created the situation of openness of the axiological system. Russia in the late twentieth century actually repeated the practice of the models of multiculturalism in Western Europe, based on the idea of the nation not as an ethnocultural community, but as multicultural with the opposition and the titular «other» ethno-social groups and received the same result, atomization of the country. The negative effects of the «parade of sovereignties» to the beginning of the XXI century led to the emergence of the work of scientists and ethno-sociologists characterized by lack of desire for radical changes and harsh criticism of the Soviet past. They again began to turn to the idea of progressive integration and actually return to a policy of internationalism (or multiculturalism). Socio-political and economic situation in the country required the development of new policy documents on harmonization of interethnic relations, strengthening of Patriotic education. The emphasis has shifted from the formation of the ethnic identity of the individual to civic education.