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Nationalism in Russia is played out on several registers. It is the instrument by which the ruling elites succeed in effacing (at least superficially) their internal divisions and unifying the political spectrum under their banner. It can also be likened to a new form of state-proposed social contract, an attempt to remobilise society to its advantage by drawing on those elements of its cultural reservoirs that form a consensus around the theme of patriotism. Lastly, for the tiny proportion of the population committed to radical right-wing parties, it makes it possible to mobilise against the "other" at a time when massive social discontent is being expressed in xenophobic terms. Nationalism is therefore akin to an amalgam that reveals the multiplicity of current social and cultural experiences in contemporary Russia. Through nationalism, those who have lost out as a result of the reforms formulate their critique of the present and their nostalgia for the past, whereas the elites and the middle classes that have gained from these changes express their satisfaction and belief that Russia will win the game of globalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass migrations of people, particularly into Europe, have always created conflict; however, if they are also taking place in the middle of a profound economic crisis, an atmosphere conducive to xenophobic and racist expression is created. To alleviate this tension, since the end of the past century (and with particular emphasis in the United States, Canada and Japan) a model of coexistence has been implemented - that of multiculturality, which can be loosely translated as "together but not intimately involved". In spite of its success, this model (which overestimates the exotic nature of immigrants), only deals with current challenges in a limited manner. This article presents a model that suggests the freeing-up of much of the heavy load that any identity entails with the aim of transforming individuals into plural beings, which are open to the transparencies of others' identities, whether they are native inhabitants or foreigners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]