The Role of Civil Society Institutions in Strengthening Traditional Values and Interethnic Communication: Methodological Approaches and Empirical Research

This article delves into to a comprehensive examination of the role of civil society institutions in the processes of preserving and reinforcing traditional values, as well as fostering constructive interethnic communication within the multiethnic and multiconfessional context of Russian society. The study aims to develop and substantiate an integrative methodology for analyzing the functioning of civil institutions as key agents in the preservation and transmission of traditional value orientations, alongside the formation of a typology of these institutions based on their functional orientation and sociocultural impact. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of regional practices of interaction between state structures and civil society in the field of strengthening interethnic harmony. The findings of the research demonstrate that the effectiveness of civil society institutions’ activities in preserving traditional values is determined by the comprehensive application of sociocultural, institutional, ethnocultural, and interdisciplinary approaches. The author’s developed typology, which includes five main groups of institutions (socio-cultural, educational, human rights, ethnocultural, and confessional associations), allows for structuring the analysis of their activities in the field of interethnic communication. Empirical studies conducted in various regions of Russia reveal that the most successful models are those based on a partnership between state structures and civil institutions, taking into account regional ethnocultural specifics and harmoniously combining traditional practices with innovative methods of work in the modern information space.