Nerus (political slur)
In Russian culture, nerus (нерусь, "non-Rus") is a xenophobic slur in reference to the opponents of Russia in broad sense, either as a collective noun or an individual reference, in the context of the "Friend or Foe" dichotomy. A neutral Russian adjective with the same meaning is нерусский, "nerussky".[1][2][3] The word is constructed akin to the word нечисть, nechist ("nechistaya sila", literally "non-clean force", i.e., "evil spirit").[4]
Historical usage
[edit]The word was recorded by Vladimir Dahl in 1881 in the meaning "foreigners, aliens, inorodtsy".[5] and the term had a negative connotation, akin to similar terms in other cultures, such as "gaijin".[3]
Anti-Soviet monarchist philosopher Ivan Ilyin referred to the Soviet state as "okaiannaia nerus" ("accursed non-Rus") as opposed to the "Holy Rus".[6][7]
Modern Russia
[edit]In Modern Russia the term is embraced by far right Russian nationalists.
Russian ultranationalist Oleg Platonov in his 2005 book Святая Русь и окаянная нерусь defines nerus as "the totality of active enemies of the Russian people and Russia."[3] Right-wing philosopher Konstantin Krylov, one of the main organizers of "Russian marches", wrote an article titled "Rus and Nerus" ("Русь и нерусь"), where he defined "nerus" as "the totality of peoples, classes, social groups, as well as professional, religious and other communities seeking to subjugate, suppress or even destroy Russians as a people and Russia as an independent state".[8] In particular, his definition encompasses "denationalized" people, who, even being of Russian ethnicity, keep the Russian nation in contempt.[1] For the latter category of people ("anti-Russian" Russians) there is a Russian word вырусь, "vyrus". Social anthropologist Aleksandra Arkhipova took a note of the sharp rise of the usage of the latter term in Russian media since 2020.[9].Sergey Kara-Murza writes that the word "nerus" was not in use in the Soviet Union and it was Platonov who brought it back, and Platonov popularized it.[4]
Anna Nezhinskaya notices that Krylov's amorphous definition took place of the term "enemy of the people", which was broadly applied in the Soviet Union towards the political opponents.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Sergei Prozorov,RUSSIAN CONSERVATISM IN THE PUTIN PRESIDENCY:THE DISPERSION OF A HEGEMONIC DISCOURSE, DIIS Working Paper 2004/20, p.36
- ^ Russia Depends on Migrants. Moscow Terror Attack Could Inspire New Wave of Hate, The Moscow Times, March 26, 2024
- ^ a b c Анна Нежинская, КАК НАЗВАТЬ ВРАГОВ НАРОДА?, October 29, 2006
- ^ a b Сергей Кара-Мурза, 'Демонтаж народа. Учебник межнациональных отношений, p. 875
- ^ s:ru:ТСД2/Нерусь
- ^ Kathleen F. Parthé, Russia's Dangerous Texts: Politics Between the Lines, p.103
- ^ Синица Д. А.. ПУБЛИЦИСТИКА ИВАНА ИЛЬИНА,
- quoting Ilyin: [Когда] "окаянная Нерусь водворилась у руля – тогда Святая Русь ушла в новое таинственное богомолье душевных и лесных пещер, вслед за уведшим ее Сергием Преподобным: там она пребывает и доныне" ([When]] "the accursed Nerus took the helm, then Holy Rus went into a new mysterious pilgrimage of spiritual and forest caves, following the Venerable Sergius who led her away: there she remains to this day.")
- ^ a b Анна Нежинская, "Нерусь": имя врагов народа найдено!, SOVA Center, December 27, 2006
- ^ Aleksandra Arkhipova, Антиязык: вырусь, November 21, 223