Nationalism in a Russian Multicultural Region

type="main"> This article describes the functional mechanisms and evolution of ethnic nationalism in the Tyumen provincial Russian region at the turn of 21st century. The study focuses on analysis of changes in social policies and characteristics of ethno-political movements that claim to represent the Russian and Tatar ethnic groups. Analytical instruments applied in this research are the concepts of constructivism and Bourdieu's genetic structuralism. The empirical base for this research includes political documents from regional public authorities, public organizations and public figures of the region, press materials, interviews with ethnic leaders, focus groups with representatives of youth organizations, observations made at public events, and photographic materials of graffiti in the cities of the Tyumen Region. We suggest that the main elements of these movements are, on the one hand, associations included in official public institutions that legitimize policy of public authorities and, on the other hand, a few associations seeking to meet the hierarchic social interests of the regional population from the standpoint of an ethnic division of society.