Features of Propaganda Documents of National Social and Political Associations of Tatarstan: Materials of the State Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan 1988–1996

Abstract

The object of the research is 1988–1996 propaganda documents of the all-Tatar public center, Committee "Sovereignty,” and Tatar party of national independence “Ittifak” stored in the State Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan. The subject of the research is the texts’ intentional structure, peculiarities of categorical apparatus, system of images, metaphors and other linguistic means and ways of constructing historical memory in order to influence the political consciousness of the electorate. The authors use methods of content and intent analysis. The predominance of verbs in most texts allows the authors to study the structure of intentional blocks of documents regarding the categories of “we,” “they,” “third party,” and “situation” (in temporal categories of past, present, and future). Interpretation of the intent analysis results is confirmed by the results of content analysis of the documents sample. The quantitative ratio of descriptors reveals the key designations of the categories “we” – “they.” There is a predominance of political metaphorical models of “way,” “confrontation,” “family.” The study of evaluative judgments on the future “way” of the Republic enables to reveal a shift in using methods of argumentation from statements of “fair federalism,” “union status” in the memoranda and open letters of 1989 to “sovereign state” in 1990–1996. National associations broadcast historical traumas by using metaphors for struggling with “second-class status” of the Republic within the USSR, historical continuity of statehood of Tatarstan, Volga Bulgaria, Golden Horde, Kazan khanate, need to revive the Tatar statehood. The use of non-preferential descriptors serve the intention of shifting “historical responsibility” for the loss of statehood to the federal center (as successor of the Russian Empire) and of justifying the policy of sovereignty of Tatarstan.