Language Conflict in Various Dimensions: The Cases of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the linguistic conflict in republics of the Russian Federation in 2017–2018. These contradictions can be reasonably interpreted as being a conflict. Three dimensions of the conflict are considered based on the example of the republics of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The institutional dimension lies within the contradictions between the Federal center and regions on based on legal discrepancies between regional and Federal legislation in the field of language and education. Legal practice has not been able to resolve these contradictions, because it did not have a single direction. The nature of interaction between the Federal center and republics when contradictions arise is connected to the obvious trends of centralization and the reduction of regions’ authority. Analysis of contradictions at the level of “regional power – group of the population” leads to the conclusion that another significant reason for intensifying conflict lies within the continued lack of attention from regional authorities to issues concerning how part of the population perceives the language policy in education within the context of insufficient teaching of republican state languages. The “group – group” dimension consists of contradictions in the discourse between supporters of the compulsory study of official republican languages and supporters of the voluntary study of official languages. Language contradictions have led to activists and nationalists in the republics becoming more active (to varying degrees), while stimulating them to make new statements and partake in actions, which may have some impact on attitudes when it comes to interethnic relations and on the strengthening of ethnic borders.