Abstract: The subject of this research is the position of Belarus in the memory wars of Russia and Eastern European countries of the two recent decades. Based on P. Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic power, as well as comparative analysis of the key stages of the historical politics of Russia and Belarus as the members of the Union State, the author explores the causes and peculiarities of electoral neutrality of Belarus in the memory wars of Russia and Eastern European countries. Analysis is conducted on the theoretical-methodological aspects of the concept of “memory wars”. Content analysis of the relevant research reveals the specificity of the Belarusian case with regards to correlation between domestic and foreign historical politics. The specificity of the forms of post-Communism that have established in Russia and Belarus, the difference in the pace of historical politics of the last three decades, as well as the evolution of the political regime of Alexander Lukashenko contributed to the formation of peculiar position of the Republic of Belarus in the memory confrontation between Russia and its Eastern European neighbors. The internal manifestation of such position was the desire to displace the conflicts between memory communities in the republic, the movement of memory to the periphery of cultural-information space, while the external manifestation was strive for electoral neutrality (memory isolationism) in the memory wars in Eastern Europe. Such position is aimed not so much at supporting Russia’s memory initiatives, but at solving the relevant political and economic challenges, using historical politics as the instrument for promoting the own interests.

Keywords: symbolic politics, memorial isolationism, the politics of time, Union state, Republic of Belarus, historical policy, the politics of memory, memory wars, Lukashenko, Public commemorations

Abstract: The subject of this research is Charles Taylor’s “Politics of Recognition”, as well as the purpose of its realization in the context of modern ethnocultural conflicts. The author reveals the question about the impact of modernity upon the transformation of identity, as well as covers the problem of dialogue between the nature and human alongside the level of cultural influence upon the development of people’s identity. Possibility of finding balance between the demand in universal equality and recognition of differences in the modern liberal democratic states is being reviewed. The article also highlights the notion of “politics of recognition” in its connection to the “politics of universalism” and distinction of individuals. In modern world, the efficiency of the policy of multiculturalism conducted throughout the recent decades in Europe, is placed in doubt. As a result, the theoretical constructs of C. Taylor, as a thinker who significantly affected the development of the theory of multiculturalism, are also subject to criticism. The author considers the works of Canadian philosopher effective namely with regards to the ethnocultural minorities that are the representatives of one kindred culture or in league for a prolonged period of time. Thus, the application of Taylor’s works, in resolution of the modern migration crisis in Europe with significant growth of the number of migrants who differ from the European culture, is suggested to consider as inefficient. The results of the “politics of recognition” under such circumstances will significantly differ from those proposed by C. Taylor in his theoretical constructs. 

Keywords: universalism, nationalism, liberalism, group rights, ethnocultural minority, minority, politics of recognition, difference, conflict, state