Russia boasts rich diversity of national minorities, but education policies, restrictive legislation undermine the exercise...

Society in Russia is characterised by a climate of appreciation for ethnic diversity; the immense variety of ethnic groups, languages and religions is perceived as an asset; progress has been observed in residency registration and in the field of minority media. However, the official rhetoric portraying multicultural societies as failed, marginalisation of national minorities against the backdrop of the increasing emphasis on the Russian language and culture, reduction of minority language education, as well as general restrictions on basic freedoms undermine the ability of persons belonging to national minorities to fully exercise their rights. More...