To the formation of ethnic image in the media: an attempt at periodization

Semenova Varvara Sergeevna Postgraduate student, Department of Mass Communications, RUDN University 6 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia 1132223754@pfur.ru Other publications by this author

Lazutova Natal'ya Mikhailovna ORCID: 0000-0001-7524-1907 Senior Researcher, Department of Digital Journalism, Journalism Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University 121009, Russia, Moscow, Mokhovaya str., 9, building 1 n.m.rom@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

The aggravation of relations between post-Soviet Russia and the republics of the North Caucasus by the end of the 20th century actualized media attention to the Caucasus region, to the formation of its media image. This was noted in 2013 by leading scientists of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the expert report "The state of scientific expertise on problems of ethnic history, culture, interethnic and confessional relations in the North Caucasus Federal District": since the early 2000s, the situation in the North Caucasus has ceased to be the subject of attention only by specialists professionally engaged in By studying it, it arouses interest among publicists and journalists, writers, politicians of various fields and, in general, the Russian public. 

The collapse of the Soviet Union disrupted traditional economic and cultural ties with the Caucasus. This contributed to the growth of separatist tendencies, which subsequently led to the need for counter-terrorism operations in the Chechen Republic, Dagestan, and Ingushetia. The North Caucasus, geographically represented by the Stavropol Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia–Alania, Ingushetia, the Chechen Republic and Dagestan, remained part of the Russian Federation. And if the first five territorial entities, despite the presence of various acute contradictions, kept within the framework of legality, then the last three were involved in events that went beyond peaceful life.

Military clashes in the North Caucasus, as well as a series of terrorist attacks in Moscow in the 1990s, left a negative mark on the consciousness of society and in the media space. It is important to note that the role of the media is especially increasing "during a period of socio-political instability in the country and in the world, against the background of ongoing international confrontation, serious migration problems, against the background of the growth of national extremism and terrorism" ^{[1, p. 36]}. At this time, mass media carry both positive and conflicting information, use various information technologies, politicize society, and actively form public opinion. In the Russian media, and later in the scientific research field, the term "Caucasophobia" arose, which denotes irrational fear, prejudice or hostility towards the peoples of the Caucasus, their culture and traditions. It should be noted that the greatest threat is posed by those causes of Caucasophobia that are formed at the "here and now" level: economic factors, political and the increase of negativity in the media ^{[2, p. 150]}. Scientific works at the junction of the humanities are devoted to the study of this problem ^{[3, 4]}, but research in the field of theory of journalism and mass communications has the greatest constructive potential ^{[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]}. In the context of interethnic issues, theoretical issues of the formation of the image of the "other" are conceptually important, including the reflection of the image of Muslim states in Russian and foreign media ^{[13, 14]}.

Journalists working in the field of national issues emotionally and psychologically influence the audience, forming a media image, fixing a certain attitude to an object or phenomenon in the public or individual consciousness. At the same time, both real and fictional facts, existing and imaginary properties of the event are used: professional ethical standards, which are not always respected, should be the limiter here. In the modern world, the importance of the author's position is increasing, the system of value assessments and the editorial policy of the publication in which he works are important for a journalist. At the same time, journalists should take into account that the content is read by the audience from the screen, which has special system-forming properties ^[15], a special communicative ecology, both multidirectional network and unidirectional television ^{[16, 17, 18]}.

Pronounced subjectivity contributes to the formation of a certain opinion about Caucasians both in Russia and abroad. As a result, the stereotypical construct "Caucasians" has become entrenched in the mass consciousness of Russians. The image of the Caucasian in the domestic media is modeled on the basis of such evaluative phrases as "wild East", "wolf people", "indomitable highlanders". Phrases from interviews of citizens calling Caucasians "newcomers", "savages", "descended from the mountains", "persons of Caucasian nationality" are allowed to be published in the media.

In order to understand which stereotypes about Caucasians affecting interethnic relations are most often found in the Russian media, modern and archival materials of the information portal were studied aif.ru , Arguments and Facts weekly. According to the data for March-July 2023 provided by Mediascope, the publication ranks first in the ranking of the most widely read weekly newspapers. The combined audience of the combined editorial office (Argumenty i Fakty newspaper and website aif.ru ) exceeds 32 million people.

The study of the content, orientation and emotional-evaluative component of the stereotypical image of a "Caucasian" in articles on the portal aif.ru , revealed the dynamics of the main determinants of ideas about the behavior of the peoples of the North Caucasus Federal District, as well as the frequency of their use, since the 2000s. The Caucasian peoples are characterized as hospitable, courageous, possessing honor and fortitude. Along with this, there is the use of negative stereotypes: aggressiveness, conservatism and rejection of other cultures, in other words, Caucasian chauvinism. There were articles about the subordination of a woman in a Caucasian family.

The results of the analysis made it possible to achieve the goal of this study – based on the publications of the AIF (since 2000) to create a periodization for the subsequent structured systematic study of the processes of media communications in the field of national image formation. The development of relations between the North Caucasus and modern Russia in the Russian media can be divided into four periods.

1. The period of confrontation (2000-2009). Russia has entered the new millennium by announcing the launch of a counter-terrorism operation in the North Caucasus. Coverage of the conflicts in the Caucasus shifted towards the fight against terrorism: media mentions of the atrocities of militants under the command of Shamil Basayev and field commander Khattab horrified Russians, and everyone knew the names of Dudaev, Maskhadov, Uvarov and Baraev.

The state media, in particular, Argumenty I Fakty, focused on Russia's fight against Chechen militants, calling them terrorists and emphasizing the need for forceful suppression of gangs. At the same time, information about operations and losses by government forces, as well as about possible civilian casualties, was not complete. During this period, the AIF talks about the dislike of Russians for Caucasians, uses the expressions "foreigners", "foreigners", "people from the Caucasus", "persons of Caucasian nationality", which any middle-aged man with dark eyes and hair who succeeds in the field of trade fits the description (article "Why we do not like " persons Caucasian nationality"", https://archive.aif.ru/archive/1710279 )

In 2004, AIF correspondents went on a working trip to the North Caucasus to show how freely Caucasian terrorists can move around the country. In the village of Galyugaevskaya, Stavropol Territory, bordering Chechnya, called a "hot spot" by journalists, it turns out that the locals live in constant fear, fearing terrorist attacks every day, and the district police officer likens all Chechens to "bandits". Ethnic coloring article "Bomb in luggage" (https://archive.aif.ru/archive/1631902 ) acquires in the finale of the journey, the action takes place at the capital's airport, when during the next inspection, the Dagestani says: "I managed to be born a chock. Is it written on my face – am I a terrorist?"

2. The period of consolidation and stabilization (2010-2014). Against the background of the strengthening of extremist groups and terrorist acts in Russia, the media are beginning to take an active part in the campaign against terrorism. There is more information about the role of the Russian Armed Forces in stabilizing the situation in the North Caucasus, the emphasis is on strengthening the role of the federal government and establishing control over the region. 

Russian Russian Federation notes the socio-economic situation in the region, pointing to the outflow of Russians (primarily from the Southern Federal District and Stavropol Territory), high unemployment (article "What is the reason for the outflow of Russians from the Caucasus. Expert opinions", https://stav.aif.ru/society/law/158756 ). The lack of jobs creates competition and leads to the expansion of the boundaries between wealth and poverty, there is a flourishing of ethno-titular protectionism and the growth of migrants from Central Asia. The rhetoric of experts about solving the Russophobic issue in the Caucasus is pessimistic. Following the mono-ethnization of the Chechen Republic and the Republic of Ingushetia, the risks of the return of separatist movements in a number of regions of the North Caucasus are increasing. Russian Russians, in an interview with a journalist, admit that Russians are often "drunks all over the place" in the eyes of Caucasians, and Caucasians are "dumb blacks" in the eyes of Russians. This is not a problem of the Caucasus, but of the whole of Russia, since both the first and second are citizens of the same country, the author of the material assures, however, in the absence of a purposeful state policy, representatives of different nationalities do not feel like citizens of a single power. The interethnic question does not lose its urgency: "When for 20 years the country has been charged with the fact that Caucasians are evil, bearded, uncontrollable people, what will be the attitude?" – Boris Kantemirov, a member of the National Policy Committee, notes. Russian russians are failing to resolve or poorly resolve issues of interethnic relations, which is fraught with serious ethnic problems, national and patriotic identity is being eroded, analysts urge the federal authorities to "improve the quality of life of people, and not to talk about Russians and non-Russians."

Studying the reflection of the ethnocultural values of the Caucasian peoples in the press during this period, Reva E.K. writes that "in the modern information space, the process of so-called rehabilitation of society's perception of the North Caucasus region and the peoples inhabiting it is taking place, noticeably transforming all previous approaches to reflecting the North Caucasian mentality. Elements of national culture began to play the role of information mechanisms that contribute to understanding the mentality of the ethnic group represented in the journalistic material" ^{[19, p. 164]}. Journalists began to write about the character and mentality of Caucasians:they always had something that they were proud of in Russia - nobility. Nobility and striving for results. After all, why is there 30% of small and medium-sized businesses in the economy of the North Caucasus? This means that there is a tendency to self-expression, to one's own business. This is, to a certain extent, such a manifestation of inner freedom and independence. Nevertheless, during the specified time period, materials destabilizing the interfaith situation in Russia prevail over tolerant and complementary publications.

3. The period of socio-economic reforms and the fight against extremist groups (2015-2019). This time was marked by attempts to revitalize the region economically with the help of special federal programs aimed at developing the economy, social and cultural spheres, and infrastructure of the North Caucasus. A "Strategy for the socio-economic development of the North Caucasus Federal District until 2025" has been developed. The fight against Caucasophobia is coming to the fore, including education, raising cultural awareness and respect for the diversity of all population groups, as well as legal measures to protect the rights of citizens.

The premiere of the film "Notes on Mountain Customs" in 2017 became a kind of message to Russians about the unifying force capable of uniting the country as a whole and the republics of the North Caucasus in particular. This is an attempt to restore the reputation of the Caucasus in the eyes of the public, to popularize the cultural heritage of the region, to acquaint with the Caucasian traditions, customs, and customs of the highlanders. In an interview with writer Zakhar Prilepin, who took part in the creation of this tape, AIF emphasizes that "the average resident of the Russian hinterland treats the inhabitants of the Caucasus today with a complex mixture of irritation, arrogance and fear" (https://aif.ru/culture/person/zahar_prilepin_borba_s_nashey_kulturoy_obrechena_na_proval ). Prilepin stands up for the Caucasians, according to him, these are people of the Russian world – strong, proud peoples who quite consciously live in the context of Russia. Having visited the Caucasus, he admits that there is a serious cultural layer there, there is order. And most importantly, there is a feeling that you are in the cultural and political space of your homeland. Russian aristocrats, soldiers, officers and Caucasian horsemen have always been united by the same ideas of honor and dignity, he argues, therefore, after going through mutual adaptation processes, you can find a common language and work together.

The topic of women's rights in the North Caucasus remains taboo for many Russian media. Publications prefer to sidestep this agenda or exotize the situation. Human rights activists claim, for example, that with the beginning of autumn, the "bride hunting season" opens in the Caucasus – the ancient Caucasian custom is not only not forgotten, on the contrary, it is becoming more popular. AiF, analyzing the stories of the abduction of Caucasian girls in the article "According to the law of the mountains, or why brides continue to be stolen in the Caucasus," notes that young people are in no hurry to comply with civil laws, bride thefts in the North Caucasus and adjacent regions continue, most of them end in weddings, and only some in court and divorce (https://aif.ru/society/people/po_zakonu_gor_ili_pochemu_na_kavkaze_prodolzhayut_vorovat_nevest ). Meanwhile, the North Caucasian traditionalists, as the newspaper writes, praise women in words, but in fact limit their freedom and opportunity to develop. "Talking about equality is puzzling at best, and at worst, you can run into threats and even beatings" ("The feminist underground of the Caucasus. Women's rights activists hide their views," https://stav.aif.ru/society/person/feministskoe_podpole_kavkaza_borcy_za_prava_zhenshchin_skryvayut_svoi_vzglyady). It is claimed that the cult of virginity and motherhood reigns in the Caucasus as the only way of self-realization, early and forced marriages, kidnapping of brides against their will are common, female circumcision and "honor killings" are practiced in some communities.

4. Consolidation period (from 2020 to the present). It is known that in the process of developing cultural pluralism, the risk of interethnic conflicts as an effect of liberalization also increases. Therefore, the creation of a unified civil identity in the country, aimed at consolidating society, ensuring a harmonious community of all peoples within the country, should be one of the main tasks of the Russian state national policy. Caucasians, whose fathers fought against the Russian army a quarter of a century ago, are joining its ranks today, being loyal defenders of the common homeland. The North Caucasus has become a full-fledged region of Russia, where Russians are not afraid to come. After 2021, in the context of the focus of state policy on internal stability and interethnic harmony, the Russian media, including the AIF, demonstrated correctness in the depiction of ethnic groups. This was shown by the analysis of the content of the materials of the AIF portal (search queries "Caucasian", "Caucasian"). The North Caucasus is positioned as one of the key tourist destinations of the country. Its mountainous territories are becoming a point of attraction for Russian tourists. The North Caucasian republics receive over 4 million tourists annually. By 2030, the number of travelers choosing NCFD facilities for recreation and treatment may increase to 9-10 million. The creation of tourist infrastructure in the region is progressing at a faster pace, according to the newspaper Argumenty I Fakty ("The Original Caucasus. Are the resorts of the region ready for the flow of tourists this summer", https://aif.ru/money/spief2023/samobytnyy_kavkaz_gotovy_li_kurorty_regiona_k_potoku_turistov_etim_letom).

The issue of security remains relevant, local residents respond to this with traditional Caucasian hospitality: "We may have disagreements among ourselves, sometimes serious ones. But you are guests. You will be accepted in any republic, fed, watered and put to bed" (""You are guests, you are immune." What awaits tourists in the Caucasus?", https://aif.ru/travel/vy_gosti_u_vas_immunitet_chto_zhdyot_turistov_na_kavkaze ). As for road safety, "for many drivers in the Caucasus, although there is no concept of a "solid line," there is common sense and mutual politeness." Experts warn about timely informing guests about the customs and traditions of the peoples of this land, because in addition to the main one - hospitality, it is important to take into account others in order to treat the local population respectfully. Tourism in the North Caucasus is a soft political force that can convince all Russians that the region is flourishing, that it has embarked on the path of creation, peace and prosperity.

So, the all-Russian press, represented in the study by publications of the Argumenty I Fakty media portal, has radically changed its editorial policy towards the Caucasian republics several times over the past two decades, forming a certain attitude of the audience towards the North Caucasus Federal District. After the collapse of the USSR, the phrase "us and them" was typical, which became a trigger for increased socio-psychological tension. Now the phrase "we are together in Russia" is used in ethnic journalism.

Taking into account the negative consequences of interethnic confrontations, it is necessary to analyze the possibilities of developing measures and mechanisms aimed at protecting society from the conflict-causing effects of the media. And first of all, it should be about media education. When training journalistic personnel, attention should be paid to ethical issues and the development of media culture and media competence ^[20]. Journalists need to break down destructive stereotypes and overcome prejudices formed around Caucasian ethnic groups.