Cultural Institution in the 21st Century: The Need, Tradition, and Construct (A Study on the Russian Population in the Republic of Tatarstan)

Abstract

This article examines the conceptualization of the institutional forms of ethno-social daily routines among the modern Russian population of the Republic of Tatarstan. The basic cultural institutions, such as ethnicity, religious identity, family, and ethno-cultural practices, are described. Their role across different groups of the Russian population in Tatarstan is revealed. The analysis is based on a multi-paradigm approach and well-known socio-humanitarian theories (functionalism, phenomenology, and social constructivism). The study «Social well-being and ethno-cultural needs of the Russian population in the Republic of Tatarstan» carried out in autumn 2022 is used as an analytical source of data. The obtained results show that the demand for traditional cultural institutions, which can be categorized as «need», «tradition», and «construct», varies depending on their roles within the study groups. A growing influence of urban spaces in shaping the ethnic «tradition», particularly among young people, is shown.