TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT POLICY OF RURAL TERRITORIES IN RUSSIA: THE POTENTIAL OF COSSACKS

Abstract

This article explores the mutual influence of tradition and innovation in the successful development of rural areas. Based on a case-study of the Cossacks, the authors consider how traditions are successfully adapted to the realities of modernity and how the economic, social, political and symbolic capital of the Cossacks was built on this basis. The research methodology is based on the concept of responsible development, the principles of political subjectivity of social groups, and the model of a complex identity. The empirical part of the study relied on the analysis of official documents, data from leading sociological centers, materials of expert sessions held by the authors. After studying the practices of the Cossack economy and Cossack education, the authors identified mechanisms for successfully adapting traditions to modernity and producing innovations. The Cossacks were formed in the frontier zone, always in contact with various socio-cultural practices, and this played a huge role in shaping their identity and maintaining openness to innovation. The values of the Cossacks are actualized not only at the cognitive and emotional levels, but also at the instrumental level, embodied in behavior patterns. The meaningful “core” of the attractiveness of the Cossacks for Russian citizens is their traditions, adapted to modern realities and challenges. The inclusive identity of the Cossacks is one of the key resources for building capable local communities and it represents a significant intangible resource for the development of rural areas. The combination of tradition and innovation enhances the constructive potential of social actors, acts not only as a development factor, but also as a protective mechanism in the face of risks and uncertainty.