Role of Virtual Communities in Language Conflict in Tatarstan

Abstract

The paper aims to identify the role of virtual communities in the language conflict in Tatarstan caused by the cancellation of compulsory teaching of the Tatar language at schools in the republic. To reach this aim, the article analyzes two groups in the social network “VKontakte” which express opposite opinions: the community of opponents of compulsory teaching of the Tatar language at schools “For a single educational space in Russia” and the community of supporters of compulsory teaching of the Tatar language at schools “Татар ата-аналары / Tatar-speaking parents”. The timeline of the appearance of the communities, their aims, strategies for defending their interests have been revealed. The scientific originality of the research lies in the fact that it has studied the role of virtual communities in a language conflict for the first time. As a result, the functions of each group in this confrontation have been identified.

References

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Funding

The research was prepared as a part of the program of fundamental and applied studies “Ethnocultural diversity of Russian society and strengthening of national identity” (Russian Federation President’s Decree № ПР-71 of 16.01.2020), project “Factors and reasons of personality’s radicalization in a culturally difficult regional community”.

Author information

About this article

Publication history

• Received: October 18, 2021.
• Published: November 20, 2021.

Keywords

• виртуальные сообщества
• языковой конфликт в Татарстане
• языковая политика
• образ врага
• virtual communities
• language conflict in Tatarstan
• language policy
• image of enemy

Copyright

© 2021 The Author(s)
© 2021 Gramota Publishing, LLC

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)