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IMGXYZ2812IMGZYXJust as individuals require a strong sense of identity to function successfully in the world, countries require a sense of national identity. Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, research director at the Royal Danish Defence College, spoke at the Carnegie Moscow Center about Russia’s sense of self and its ontological security. Carnegie’s Sam Greene moderated.
Individual Security
The term “ontological security” is traditionally used in psychology and sociology to discuss how secure a person is in his or her existence and sense of self. In individuals, this security is developed in the first years of life, when parents instill their children with a sense of uniqueness and separation from the rest of the world. This sense is maintained by stable relationships with others and by individual routines. People without a strong core are often dictated to by their surroundings and feel uncomfortable when social norms are broken, said Hansen.
Security of Collectives
Although it is a controversial concept, ontological security has been elevated by some scholars from the individual level to the level of tribes, nations, and other collectives. Each collective wants to maintain a sense of self and value, and does so by maintaining stable relationships and routines. For instance, Hansen argued that the Arab-Israeli conflict can be viewed as a battle of entities struggling to maintain their own visions of themselves. Each side defines itself by being against the other; their existences stem from a stable relationship based on conflict, which has become the routine.
However, unlike with individuals, a nation’s idea of itself is dictated by its history and by earlier identities. National identities change constantly, Hansen said.
Putin’s Psychotherapy
According to Hansen, part of Prime Minister Putin’s popular appeal and success stems from his ability to gain ontological security for Russia. He has strengthened Russia’s sense of self by moving it away from being dictated by Western thought and rule.
- Old Russia: Immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia was forced to redefine its identity. It did so in a reactive way, by rejecting everything associated with the Soviet Union. It preached consumerism, liberalism, and individualism and relied on close cooperation with the West.
- New Russia: In the last decade Russia has redefined its identity once again. Instead of viewing the Soviet Union as the “other,” Russia now is reacting against the Western world. This anti-Western sentiment stems from the belief that, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Western world pushed democracy and its values on Russia in an attempt to control Moscow. Now the country is turning to a belief in a more sovereign democracy and collective mentality, and is experiencing a rebirth of spirituality, explained Hansen.
With Russia attempting to develop its ontological security, Hansen concluded, the West must initiate constructive discussions with Moscow to build up trust. Only through trust and an acceptance of individual identities will both sides develop enough ontological security to cooperate and coexist.
