Everyday Patriotism and Ethnicity in Today’s Russia

When does patriotism turn into nationalism? Since 2001, the Kremlin promoted a multi-ethnic vision of patriotism and patriotic education in all walks of life while publicly opposing extremist and opposition nationalism. Nevertheless, the outpouring of public support for the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent involvement in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine showed that patriotism and nationalism are not easily distinguished and that one may easily transform into the other. Rather than treating patriotism and nationalism as categorically distinct, this study inspects the ways that Russian citizens understand the meaning and implications of patriotism in their daily lives through interviews and focus groups conducted in Russian regions. The analysis reveals the ease with which state patriotism can be ethnicized, such that the practical difference between patriotism and nationalism becomes a matter of political loyalty rather than ethnicity.