Characteristics of an ethnophore in the aspect of historical transformations of the traditional female Ossetian subculture

The article presents a targeted analysis of the qualities of the modern ethnic personality of Ossetians in its female form. Based on empirical material - a survey conducted in 2023 among ethnic Ossetians of different ages, the author addresses modern transformations and the latest incarnation of the traditional female subculture of this ethnic group. It was revealed that its current transformations (including modern incarnations of its inherent dual nature) are a significant part of the modern ethnic reality of Ossetians. The communicative standards and associated value beliefs still contain the memory of the former image of a “worthy woman” with all its cultural and aesthetic entourage. A common understanding of the norms of folk ethics of the traditional female subculture and its humanistic content has been preserved, including in the youth student environment. But, despite the awareness and even some orientation of Ossetians towards the qualities of the traditional feminine ideal, their modern personal claims, social expectations, value judgments and ideas about the ritual side of ethnoculture are largely adapted to the conditions of the needs of the current day. Analysis of the empirical material as a whole allows us to draw a conclusion about the formed actual functionality of socio-cultural femininity and related stereotypes that are capable of projecting modern ethnic forms of behavior and communication of Ossetians. Also, the obtained data allow us to conclude that the properties and characteristics of the ethnophor have considerable ethnicization resources for this ethnic group. Even in the case of a negative subjective assessment of “our current selves”.