Dispelling of myths – contemporary Belarusian reflections on their own identity

Abstract

The main subject of the article is the self-concept of the Belarusians as an ethnic community, especially in the assessments of the forerunners of the Belarusian nationalist movement and Belarusian nationalists of the 1990s. In this context the study pointed out the tendency to change the attitude of some circles in the present-day Belarusian elite and its changeable evaluations of the condition of civil society in their country and Belarusianness under the conditions of state sovereignty. The article also discusses the reason for the failure of the nationalist movement and factors impacting the orientations and behaviors of the Belarusians. The basic distinctive features of present-day Belarusian identity were also distinguished. In this context attention focused on the character of the current Belarusian government and the attitude of the authorities towards the spread of Belarusian language, and development of national culture. Referring to sociological studies and opinions of experts, the author sought to distinguish values that determine feelings and behaviors prevailing in contemporary Belarusian society. He emphasized inter alia that transformations are taking place in it in a special way, practically without the uniting and integrating national factor, and under the conditions of diversification that makes consolidation difficult, which is necessary for the development of mechanisms of democratic society and for the international integration of the state.