“A Cossack's Whole Life is War, there is no Fear in a Cossack's Heart!” or How They Become Cossacks Today

Abstract

The work is devoted to the consideration of the modern Cossacks (on the example of the Kuban), in particular its collective identity through the prism of a complex of theoretical approaches: the theory of masculinity (in the dimensions of hegemony and militarization), as well as affective solidarity grounded on the theory of collective identity. Empirically, the collective identity of the Cossacks is considered through the narratives of the representatives of the Kuban Cossack army, where it is invoked and categorized. The results of the study were the categorization contour of the modern collective identity of the Cossacks. The center of the social identity of the modern Cossacks reveals a historical pattern of militarized masculinity, which is significantly saturated with affective experiences of informants when pronouncing certain categories. The presence of such an experience provides a more complete interiorization of the specific foundations of identity by the Cossacks.