The effect of education on nationalism and ethnic exclusionism in modern Russia

Abstract

In authoritarian contexts, such as present-day Russia, textbooks often become vehicles for ideological messaging and reinforcing political narratives. The present study endeavors to scrutinize the role of history education in Russian schools, specifically exploring its contribution to the cultivation of nationalism and ethnic exclusionism within the country's socio-cultural fabric. By investigating the institutional transformations that have transpired in history education since 1992, this research aims to discern the underlying mechanisms employed by the Russian government to imbue schools with indoctrination and harness national history textbooks as vehicles for propagating nationalistic discourses. Consequently, the primary research question emerges as follows: How have Russian schools embedded the narratives of nationalism and ethnic exclusionism through history education? This inquiry is further guided by two subquestions: (1) How has the Russian government indoctrinated history education in schools and used national history textbooks for nationalistic discourses? and (2) How do national history textbooks contribute to the perpetuation of narratives of ethnic exclusionism in present-day Russia? By delving into these questions, this study aims to shed light on the intricate interplay between history...