A Social Constructivist Approach to the Analysis of the Institutional Order of Modern Cossacks

Thie paper proposes a constructivist perspective on the institutional nature of the Cossack community and the components of Cossack identity as a whole. The author draws on the concepts of P. Berger, T. Luckmann, and R. Brubaker. Modern Russian Cossacks are presented as a dynamic social community, shaped by historical traditions, the challenges of the times, and new institutional conditions, that significantly influence their ideological and social self-determination in Russian society. The author examines the political, legal, cultural, historical, economic, and educational aspects of the Cossack community, identifying key mechanisms for the legitimisation of social knowledge and certain components of Cossack identity. The formally established order is viewed as the result of externalisation by actors and the basis for the internalisation of norms by Cossacks. The importance of cultural knowledge in socialisation is also emphasised, as it operates within the framework of institutionally enshrined norms that define the vectors of community development. This study emphasises the pursuit of historical continuity in the sociocultural forms of Cossacks in modern times, resulting in a significant portion of social knowledge being relegitimised and reinterpreted. Following the revival of the Cossacks as a social community that began in the late 1980s, they now appear as a formalised structure integrated into the state system, with significant roles in contemporary socio-political processes. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between registered and non-registered Cossacks, an analysis of regulations governing the activities of Cossack societies, and the influence of religious, educational, and media institutions on the formation of the collective identity of the Cossacks. The mechanisms for the reproduction of traditional Cossack practices are examined, as well as their adaptation to contemporary social and political challenges. The work also addresses the prospect of Cossack participation in the Special Military Operation, that contributes to the restoration of the Cossacks' historical status as a military force. It is noted that, despite the differences between registered Cossack societies and Cossack non-profit organisations, the absence of rigid barriers between them can facilitate their integration and consolidation.