The Rusyns of Austria-Hungary and the Russian Society: Discussion on the Ways of Political Nation Building in "Carpathian Rus’" in Russian Press in the Second Half of 19th and Early 20th Centuries
The article focuses on the ideal project of political nation building among the Austrian and Hungarian Rusyns which was constructed during the discussion in the Russian press in the second half of 19th and early 20th centuries. It is concluded that although the main idea of the project - the preservation of any links between Rusyns and Russians - remained invariable some of its aspects changed remarkably. Firstly, the circle of possible alternatives extended. The threats of polonizationin Galicia and magyarization in Hungary were added by the threat of ukrainiazation in Galicia and Bukovina. Secondly, by the early 20th century the entire national unity of Rusyns and Russians (and not only closeness) had been asserted. Thirdly, the quantity of national self-identification factors increased. If in the 1860s these were only language and religion, in the early 20th century these were also schools, activity of intellectuals and social institutes. This reflects the transition to a new stage of political nation building.