Russia’s Multicultural Policy in Language, Education and Religion

Özet

Located in a region that has witnessed many migrations and human mobility throughout history, Russia is a federal state where many ethnic and cultural communities live. The expansionist policies of Tsarist Russia and the exile and resettlement policies implemented in the period of its inheritor, the Soviet Union, made today’s Russian Federation even more cosmopolitan from every angle. According to official figures, the Russian Federation is home to 193 different ethnic groups, and around 100 different languages are spoken. This study aims to examine Russia’s multicultural policies in the context of the legal framework, institutions and practices regarding language, education and religion in the light of historical experience. This study examines the existing literature, relevant legislation and reports from international organizations, and finds that multicultural policies in Russia started from a liberal and decentralized point in the early 1990s, but then shifted to a security-oriented and centralized approach.