Civilizational identity of Russia and culture. Part 1

This article raises and discusses the need to substantiate a holistic view of collective identity. This formulation of the question is a reaction to the use of the concept of “identity” in various senses in modern scientific literature. Some scholars distinguish ethnic identity, others cultural identity, and others national or transnational identity. But we should also talk about individual, collective and subcultural identity. But these varieties of collective identity are in a difficult relationship. And besides, they are all components of the so-called civilizational identity. But is their synthesis always possible? The author proves that the identity integrity of peoples is the most common system-forming level at which all varieties of collective identity form a hierarchical structural unity. Synthesis, which is so necessary for the functioning of civilization, is possible only at this level. The subject of the research in the article is the formation of the civilizational identity of Russia in history. Proving this idea, the author argues that the formation of collective identity in Russia goes through several stages, which implies its consideration not in short, but in long time stretches. To clarify the different periods in the formation of identity in Russia, the author turns to L. Gumilev’s ethnological concept. However, tracing the history of the formation of collective identity involves not only identifying its temporal, but also spatial coordinates. The author illustrates this position with the desire to expand the space that has taken place in Russia since the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. The history of the Russian advance towards the North and the Far East fits into this phase. According to the author, the psychology of people of this time indicates that the collective identity of Russians in this period for the first time acquired clear forms of manifestation, which determined the collective identity of Russia in the following centuries. A further presentation of the research findings will be offered in Part 2.