Abstract:

The ideology of contemporary Russian Paganism is analysed as a version of nationalism, 'nation' being understood as a primordial ethnic community. The author reveals a mixture of Soviet ideology with fragments of folk beliefs in the contemporary Pagan outlook, which serves as a sort of patriotism after the empire has collapsed and given way to a globalization that challenges national states and ethnic communities. Hence the Russian Pagans' main goals are to form a 'stable ethnic community' and to promote ethnic Russian values.

Author: Victor Shnirelman