printPrimordialism and Constructivism in Ethnosociology as Reflexively Symmetrical Cognitive Positions
Persidskaya O.A.
Research fellow, Institute of Philosophy and Law, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia olga_alekseevna@mail.ru
Persidskaya O.A. Primordialism and Constructivism in Ethnosociology as Reflexively Symmetrical Cognitive Positions. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2025. No 5. P. 150-160
The author addresses the discussion of the current state of Russian ethnosociology. This discussion has sharpened the confrontation between constructivist and primordialist cognitive positions and has drawn attention to the role of this confrontation in the development of ethnosociology and other disciplines dealing with the problems of ethnicity. Attempts to synthesize primordialism and constructivism are considered and their criticism is made. With this in mind, the author analyzes the ontological and epistemological foundations of primordialism and constructivism, but relies on the theoretically unloaded category of ethnic activity. This category is taken in the tradition of cultural- historical approach and its interpretation corresponds to the thought of Lev Vygotsky. The used theoretical and methodological technique of refocusing the research optics allowed us to reveal the dispositions of primordialism and constructivism in relation to each other in a new way. Based on Mikhail Rozov’s principle of reflexive symmetry, it is shown that primordialism emphasizes external- social forms of relations and focuses on the ways of mediating the surrounding world through collective ethnic activity. Constructivism focuses on the issues of personal regulation of activity, which have to do with the mediation by a person's behavior in acts of activity and the expansion of mental arsenal by including the dimensions of ethnicity. It is concluded that primordialism and constructivism are not opposite to each other, but reflexively symmetrical. This means that they can be synthesized. The synthesis of primordialism and constructivism can be realized through building up their heuristic potential by approaches that can expand the empirical field of ethnosociology. Such approaches include those focused on the macro level of ethnic activity – world- system analysis and geopolitical theory. In conclusion, the author hopes arguments will indicate a possible horizon for expanding the theoretical and methodological foundations of ethnosociology and will smooth the opposition between primordialism and constructivism.
Anderson B. (2001) Imagined Communities. Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism. Moscow: Canon- Press- C, Kuchkovo Pole. (In Russ.)
Bromley Yu.V. (1983) Essays on the Theory of Ethnos. Moscow: Nauka. (In Russ.)
Bourdieu P. (1993) Social Space and Symbolic Power. THESIS. No. 2: 137–150. (In Russ.)
Varshaver E. (2022) “Stop Kicking the Dead Horse of Primordialism”: Current Agendas in Constructivist Studies of Ethnicity. Sotsiologicheskoye obozreniye [Russian Sociological Review]. 2022. Vol. 21. No. 3: 31–58. DOI: 10.17323/1728-192x-2022-3-31-58. (In Russ.)
Vygotsky L. S. (1982) Collected Works: In 6 volumes. Vol. 2. Problems of General Psychology. Moscow: Pedagogy. (In Russ.)
Vygotsky L. S. (1983) Collected Works: In 6 volumes. Vol. 3. Problems of Psyche Development. Moscow: Pedagogy. (In Russ.)
Lakatos I. (1995) Falsification and Methodology of Research Programs. Moscow: Medium. (In Russ.)
Maslov D. K. (2024) Holism and Individualism in Social Sciences (Ontology and Methodology): Contemporary Debates and Approaching Hegel’s Position. Respublica Literaria. Vol. 5. No. 1: 61–70. DOI: 10.47850/RL.2024.5.1.61–70. (In Russ.)
Nizamova L. R. (2009) Complex Concept of Modern Ethnicity: Limits and Possibilities of Theoretical Synthesis. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsial’noy antropologii [The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology]. Vol. XII. No. 1: 141–159. (In Russ.)
Pain E. A. (2023) Ethnicity, Nation and Politics. Critical Essays on Ethnopolitical Science. Moscow: New Literary Review. (In Russ.)
Popkov Yu.V. (2024) Anthropological Revolution and Challenges for Ethnosociology (Invitation to Discussion). Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. No. 9: 43–55. DOI: 10.31857/S0132162524090047. (In Russ.)
Rozov M. A. (1995) The Phenomenon of Reflexive Symmetry in the Cognition of Activity. In V. A. Lektorsky, T. I. Oizerman (eds.) Theory of Knowledge: In 4 Volumes. Vol. 4. Cognition of Social Reality. Moscow: Mysl: 105–123. (In Russ.)
Smirnov S. A. (2023) L. S. Vygotsky and the Digit: Challenge for Cultural- Historical Psychology. Kul’turno- istoricheskaya psikhologiya [Cultural- Historical Psychology]. Vol. 19. No. 2: 41–51. DOI: 10.17759/chp.2023190205. (In Russ.)
Tishkov V. A. (2023) On the Reconciliation of Constructivism and Primordialism. Etnografia [Etnografia]. No. 1 (19): 6–25. (In Russ.)
Shirokogorov S. M. (2002) Ethnographic Research. Book Two. Ethnos. Vladivostok: Publishing House of the Far Eastern University. (In Russ.)
Byung- Soo Seol (2008) A Critical Review of Approaches to Ethnicity. International Area Review. Vol. 11. No 2: 333–364.
Barth F. (ed.) Ethnic Groups and Boundaries: The Social Organization of Cultural Difference (1969). Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
Geertz C. (1963) The Integrative Revolution: Primordial Sentiments and Civil Polities in the New States. In Geertz C. (ed.) Old Societies and New States. New York: The Free Press: 105–157.
Grosby S. (1994) The Verdict of History: The Inexpungeable Tie of Primordiality: A Response to Eller and Coughlan. Ethnic and Racial Studies. Vol. 17. No. 1: 164–171.
Szayna T. (ed.) Identifying Potential Ethnic Conflict: Application of a Process Model (2000). Santa Monica: Rand.
Kohl K.-H. (2011) Introduction. In H. Jebens, K.-H. Kohl (eds.) The End of Anthropology? Wantage: Sean Kingston Publishing, 2011. 1–12.
McKay J. (1982) An Exploratory Synthesis of Primordial and Mobilizationist Approaches to Ethnic Phenomena. Ethnic and Racial Studies. Vol. 5. No. 4: 395–420. DOI: 10.1080/01419870.1982.9993387.
Nagel J. (1994) Constructing Ethnicity: Creating and Recreating Ethnic Identity and Culture. Social Problems. No. 41 (1): 152–176.
Scott G. M. Jr. (1990) A Resynthesis of the Primordial and Circumstantial Approaches to Ethnic Group Solidarity: Towards an Explanatory Model. Ethnic and Racial Studies. Vol. 13. No. 2: 147–171.
Shils E. (1957) Primordial, Personal, Sacred and Civil Ties. British Journal of Sociology. Vol. 8. № 2: 130–145.
Johnson D. P. (ed.) The international diversity and inclusion lexicon (2010). Westlake: Profiles in Diversity Journal.
van den Berghe P. L. (1981) The Ethnic Phenomenon. New York: Elsevier Press.
Wimmer A. (2013) Ethnic Boundary Making: Institutions, Power, Networks. Oxford (New York): Oxford University Press.