[Rev.] The social phenomenon of interethnic tension

Abstract

The authors of this monograph — based on analyzing data from the representative national survey RLMS–HSE, focus group materials and examining documents — investigate interethnic tension as a social risk factor for public unity. In the theoretical part, research is based on the classical sociological approach; in the empirical part, interdisciplinary approaches are used, while testing hypotheses regarding socio-economic and socio-cultural factors of inter-ethnic tension using mathematical methods. It is shown that perceiving interethnic relations as tension and conflict is connected with frustration in the sphere of consumption, and with a negative outlook of one’s own financial position. Negative attitudes towards people of other nationalities — which prevail over positive attitudes towards people of one’s own nationality — is the social and psychological basis for the emergence of interethnic tension. It has been established that ethnic minorities, when compared to the Russian ethnic majority, make more active use of such as resource as ethnic communications when searching for a job. Analyzed are the structural and socio-cultural conditions of the origin and development of intolerance consciousness, and the institutionalizing of ethnically selective control practices. Also considered is how interethnic relations are influenced by religion.