New russian intellligentsiya: problems of self-definition

Abstract

The article highlights a wide range of issues connected with the problems of
self-identification of the new Russian intelligentsia. The author formulates his
main task as analysis of major results of the project “New intelligentsia” which
was carried out in 2012 by journalists of Moscow News newspaper. While using
comparative-historic and historic-dialectical methods the author investigates different
approaches to the essence and evolution of such phenomenon as modern
national intelligentsia. He pays attention that an attempt of formation of a new
social-historic concept “new intelligentsia” was made by the journalists in the
conditions of fast-moving politicization of Russian cities everyday life, that it did
not have firm scientific constituent and born mostly emotional-conjunctural character.
On the other hand the article argumentatively criticizes the statement on
“death” of Russian intelligentsia and necessity to refuse the usage of the concept
“intelligentsia” itself. The author of the article draws main attention to the selfesteems
of the “new intelligentsia” phenomenon which were presented by some
participants of the project. In the end of the article the author makes a conclusion
that the concept “new intelligentsia” requires further scientific grounding not only
by historian, but also by sociologists, culture experts and politicians.