Federica Prina,
Central and East European Studies, University of Glasgow,
9 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland, United Kingdom,
Federica.Prina@glasgow.ac.uk.
The article explores the differences between the original model of National Cultural Autonomy (NCA), as developed by the Austro-Marxists at the end of the 19th century, and the way it has been reinterpreted and applied in post-Soviet Russia. It is shown that Russia’s NCA system significantly differs from the original NCA model in two ways: first, in the limited autonomy in the management of nationality issues for NCAs in the Russian case; and, second, in the absence of power-sharing between the Russian state and its nationalities, which restricts the latter’s autonomy to control their cultural destiny. In particular, the narrow interpretation of ‘culture’ in the Russian NCA system results in NCAs’ frequent exclusion from processes that shape law and public policy affecting the interests of Russia’s nationalities. The article takes into account Tatar ethno-cultural education to highlight the consequences of specific choices that have marked a departure from the original model. The article is partially based on data from interviews in Russia in 2010, 2011 and 2015, with representatives of national cultural autonomies and peoples’ congresses, as well as public officials and scholars.
Key words: national cultural autonomy, ethno-cultural education, Austro-Marxism, Republic of Tatarstan, ethnic federalism, cultural rights.