The study of Russian national consciousness: basic approaches in the 20th and 21st centuries

A great number of studies about Russian national character, consciousness, specific Russian culture have been published lately. Conditionally, this literature can be divided into research studies based on real facts of Russian history, and promotional poorly researched literature. Particularly in the question devoted to Russian national consciousness, we can observe a process of demythologi-zation of the vision of the Russian nation and its total mythologization. Formation of a fair number of mythologems about Russia continues the national tradition. Thus, some modern scholars consider the "Russian idea" as a myth. At present, the "Russian idea" is becoming popular again. The study of unique and national features has become more intense. National myths are the subject of reflection. We can observe not only fiction and journalistic literature but also academic studies devoted to the analysis of Russian national character in philosophical, psychological, cultural and other aspects. National character as a whole is the subject of ethnopsy-chology and ethnocosiology that profoundly study the problem, analyze questions about national identification and consciousness. There are studies devoted to the consciousness of a particular ethnos, identity of Russian regions. The main question of modern studies is to identify the unique complex of national characteristics inherent to a particular nation. Frequently the term "national character" is identified with such definitions as national mentality, national spirit, national soul; some authors separate these definitions. The central subject of Russian national character study is concentrated on listing its main features. At the same time we can observe single studies that use western research methods, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory that can help to determine the hierarchic value system. The study of national identification problem is concentrated not only in the culture sphere but also in the state one, on the political and pragmatic level. Thus, modern political debates are concentrated on the development model of Russia: empire or nation, the messianic role of Russia or the material welfare of Europeans. The actualization of the problem has led to the revival of the dispute of the early 20th century. Its participants are orthodoxies, followers of Russian ethnicism, Eurasianists, national liberals. The relevance of the Russian national consciousness problem is proved by the ample amount of literature. Its cross-disciplinary character has become a reason of the variety of methods, ambiguity of terminology, usage of diverse terms.

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