Interethnic harmony and patriotic education in contemporary Buryatia (based on sociological research)

The establishment of good interethnic relationships is one of the principal conditions for the stable development of multi-ethnic societies in the modern world. The national policy of the Russian state is an essential institutional factor aiming to promote positive relationships between nations. It is to ensure the interethnic harmony along with the cultivation of patriotic values. Based on the sociological research arranged as a series of expert surveys, the authors reveal that the Republic of Buryatia as a constituent entity of the Russian Federation successfully fulfills the national policy goals such as the consolidation of the society. There has been a historical favorable background to forge interethnic relationships in Buryatia, and, nowadays, it results in interethnic harmony. Positive assessments should not be a reason for abandoning the ongoing monitoring in this field. A detailed analysis of empirical data allows one to conclude that there are several problems in the patriotic education of children and youth. The majority of issues under discussion were caused by downgrading the notions of patriotism and internationalism during the first post-Soviet decade. Public authorities do not provide sufficient instrumental, methodological and coordination support for educational institutions engaged in patriotic upbringing. The study demonstrates the importance of interaction between the expert, scientific communities and public authorities for addressing the challenges of the national public policy.