Reflections on the Identity and State of Social Consciousness of Belarusians

Abstract

The main subject of this article is the self-concept of the Belarusians as an ethnic community, especially in the assessments of the forerunners of the Belarusian nationalist movement and Belarusian nationalists of the 1990s. In this context, the study pointed out a tendency to change the attitude of some circles of the current Belarusian elites and their changeable evaluations of situations of civil society in their country as well as Belarusianness in the conditions of state sovereignty The paper also discusses the reasons of the failure of the nationalist movement and factors impacting on the Belarusian inclinations and attitudes. The most distinctive features of the present-day Belarusian identity were also distinguished. Referring to sociological studies and opinions of experts, the author sough to distinguish values that determine feelings and attitudes prevailing in the contemporary Belarusian society. He emphasized that the transformation is taking place in its peculiar way, in the state of diversification impeding consolidation, and practically without a uniting or integrating national factor needed for the development of mechanisms of democratic society and international integration.