Transnational indigenous structures, liberal multiculturalism, and narratives of indigenous separatism in Russia's North

Abstract

This paper analyses narratives about nationalist sentiments and alleged separatist intentions of the Sami in the Kola Peninsula. Discussions about Sami ambitions to have their own state together with the Sami from Fennoscandia circulate in certain, predominantly urban, Russian social circles. Sami people are eager to distance themselves from such discussions and to reject any accusations on nationalist ground. My analysis reveals that the real fear that such narratives are indicative of comes not from any real possibility for independent Sami state or even Sami separatists intentions, but from possible spread of ideals inspired from (neo)liberal multicultural ideas, penetrating from abroad. In contrast to the previous liberal doctrines, neoliberal multiculturalism as an ideology accommodates the granting of collective rights as a compensation for past injustice to disadvantaged and more vulnerable parts of the population. The ideas behind neoliberal multiculturalism oppose the spirit of the Kola community. So, when imported from abroad, as an ideological subset of Sami cultural and ethnic revival support, they are accepted with suspicion and hostility. People intuitively feel threat ened by such ideas, even though they may not have explicit knowledge of multiculturalism, which is not a part of the local discursive sphere.