This question can be interpreted in two ways:
1. "How to choose which nationality to write in an official document?"
Article 26 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states: "Everyone has the right to determine and indicate his nationality. No one can be forced to determine and indicate his nationality."
In case you yourself want to indicate your nationality or an official believes that Article 26 does not apply to his department, there is an "Alphabetical list options answers of the population for coding the answer to question 7 of the census form L of the All-Russian population census of 2010, "approved by order of Rosstat No. 74 of January 27, 2010. It contains 1840 nationalities, including "man of the earth", "man of the world", "Americans", "Estonians Orthodox", "blasphemy", "cosmopolitans", "Jews of Bukhara", "Great Russians", "crossbreed", "Brest residents", "inhabitants of the universe", "bulbashi" and "Khokhls". Citizens of the Russian Federation are not are obliged to choose the nationality of one of the parents and not change it to the grave. locality aware of these "innovations".
2. "How to determine your nationality for yourself?"
Perhaps you are not ready to identify yourself in one word, by mom or dad. If so, then no big deal. Self-identification is a deeply personal matter, and the concept of nationality in its Russian version was invented by the Russian state bureaucracy over a hundred years ago for their own benefit. Therefore, it is better to free your consciousness and not confuse these things - after all, this is exactly what Leviathan wants from you.
Any state is a machine of subordination and coercion. The concept of nationality is one of the tools that this machine uses to control the population of Russia. In the history of the USSR and Russia, there were few cases when people or ethnic groups received prizes for "good" nationality. In 99% of cases, nationality does not affect a person's life. But in the 1% of cases when she plays a role, this role is almost always negative:
a person is deported because he is Latvian or Korean;
he is made a vassal of Kadyrov because he is a Chechen;
he is not given access to secret documents, because he is a Jew;
he is arrested on charges of extremism, because he is Russian and has spoken about it publicly too many times;
he is called names at school because he is a Tajik;
he is suspected of betrayal because he is Ukrainian.
Even if you have a real sense of community with people of some ethnic group, remember that the state will never allow this group to really defend their interests. After all, this is a zero-sum game: if the ethnic group has more rights and opportunities, then the official has lost them. The maximum that they will give you is an official from your ethnic group, so that he robs you with an understanding of local specifics and in a national costume.
So my advice is: define yourself as who you feel you are. If the one you feel like is not in the list of 1840 nationalities and this feeling of self does not fit in 2-3 words, it does not matter. For example, I define myself as a "Russian American non-religious half-breed Jew from Latvia" and do not worry that there are not enough people with such a self-identification to dance or fill a cattle car.
An exact knowledge of belonging to a particular ethnic group may be necessary for a person when he is looking for his relatives, restores family tree or is going to move to another country and acquire citizenship there. And in almost every case, the question arises - how to determine ethnicity with maximum precision?
If previously traditionally studied family archives, now the development of modern technologies, the emergence of new types of research have brought DNA analysis for ethnic origin to a new level.
How to determine the ethnicity of a person
A modern, accurate and reliable method of DNA testing allows you to get answers to a number of questions related to the genealogy of a person and his belonging to a particular ethnic group. In the process of evolution, various mutations were concentrated in the human genome, which were passed down from generation to generation. As a result, each nationality has characteristic genetic markers that determine skin color, eye shape and other features of appearance.
A special study of DNA fragments allows you to determine ethnicity specific person and his genetic history. To date, four special population groups are used for this:
- European - includes the countries of Europe and the Middle East.
- East Asian - South and North Korea, Japan, China.
- Southeast - Australia and Oceania, Philippines.
- African - Libya, Egypt, etc.
To determine the percentage of each group in the human genome, 175 SNP markers are used on all chromosomes. The alleles that are determined by these markers correspond to a particular group. As a result, the proportion of human ancestors from a certain corner is established. the globe. For example, the researcher may have 15% of relatives from the southeastern group and 80% from the African group.
How to find out your ethnic origin
Genetic examination is carried out in special laboratories that have the necessary equipment and reagents for this. To find out your ethnicity, you must pass a sample of biological material. In most cases, buccal epithelium is used for research, which is obtained from the inside of the cheek. If it is not possible to take such a smear, then another material is used - spots of biological fluid, hair, skin particles, and much more. Such samples are called non-standard.
DNA testing is carried out according to different methods, depending on the gender of the researched:
- Women. Determination of belonging to an ethnic group along the mother's line is carried out by examining mitochondrial DNA, which is isolated from one's own bioassay. For paternal testing, a male DNA sample is required. It can be any man on the father's side, for example, an uncle, brother, grandfather, etc.
- Men. To establish a relationship to a certain group in the male and female lines, the biomaterial of a man is sufficient. This material is sufficient both for the study of the male line (Y-chromosome) and for the study of the female line (mitochondrial DNA).
When studying a mitochondrial haplogroup, one can find out ethnicity at the continent level. The definition of the haplogroup allows you to establish the nationality of a person by DNA test.
How to determine your ethnicity in the DTL laboratory
The DTL Center offers to undergo a modern genetic examination and find out your ethnic background, genealogy, a certain race. At the service of clients - the most modern technologies, the latest equipment and experienced geneticists.
For testing, you must pass a sample of biomaterial, wait a few days and receive an official conclusion with the result. More detailed information can be obtained from the specialists of the Center by calling the specified phone number.
Over the past quarter century, the self-identification of the citizens of our country has undergone many changes and most often against the backdrop of political unrest. Well, over the past few years, it has even become fashionable to be “Russian”. No wonder it is believed that the nationality "Russian" is more than just the concept of "nationality", it is a state of mind. How many nationalities are there in the world, how did they form and how do they differ from citizenship? All these questions have become very relevant in recent times.
Origin of nationalities
Just a few centuries ago, such a concept as "nationality" did not even exist, only data on the speakers of a particular language were counted. Actually, this is happening now in many other countries of our planet. Mankind has always sought to divide itself into certain ethnic groups, for example, into tribes of the primitive communal system. Later, in the era of slavery and feudalism, the concept of nationality had already begun to take shape. And when society came to the bourgeois system, the concepts of "nation" and "nationality" appeared as the next stage in the development of ethnic groups. In most countries of the world, these definitions refer to the identification of citizenship, while in Russia and some other countries they have a broader meaning.
On a global scale
The concepts of "nationality", "nation" and "nationality" are almost identical, and it is difficult to isolate the main difference between them, because the division into ethnic groups exists much longer than any of these definitions. Today, it is incredibly difficult to count all the nationalities of the world, because they are in constant dynamics, merging with each other, as a result of which many disappear. According to rough estimates, there are now about two thousand nationalities on the planet with a tendency to constantly decrease. This is somewhat more than self-identification on a linguistic or territorial basis, because in the presence of 251 official state there are about six thousand languages in the world, each of which is native to someone. Therefore, it is difficult to determine how many nationalities actually exist. In addition to the most common and well-known, such as Americans, British, Germans, French, Spaniards, Italians, Greeks, Bulgarians and others, there are small and little-known ethnic groups: Balochs, Golds, Ingris, Lappies, Mishars and many others.
Difficulties of definition
Nationality is usually called belonging to a particular ethnic group. She has hereditary character, because its main features are the surname and appearance of a person, as well as some character traits that are defined as mentality. But the concept is rather arbitrary. In connection with the constant dynamics towards the mixing of ethnic groups in the pedigree of a person, the presence of representatives of a wide variety of nationalities is possible, which makes it difficult to determine nationality itself. Thus, despite the fact that in many countries the main feature of such a definition is citizenship or language, nationalities increasingly remain a concept of self-identification of an individual.
From Empire to Federation
IN Russian Empire in 1897, a census was held, then the citizen's belonging to one or another ethnic group was determined by linguistic and religious grounds. A little later, the concept of “nations” and “peoples” began to be applied, and the column “nationality” in passports appeared already in the Soviet Union in the 70s of the last century. Council of Nationalities Supreme Council The USSR had such a name for more exact definition presented in it territorial entities(republics, autonomous regions and districts). Well, today the Constitution of the Russian Federation enshrines the right to self-determination in the choice of nationality.
Such different "Russians"
Many people are very interested in the question why all the nationalities of the world are nouns (Latvians, Poles, Romanians, Tatars and others), and only Russians have this adjective. It is difficult to answer this question for sure, and different scientists put forward different theories. You should start with the fact that this is the largest nationality in the world. Nationality "Russian" have, according to various estimates, from 130 to 150 million people around the globe, living not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Russians are the most numerous East Slavic ethnic group. This is the main part of the population and the indigenous people of Russia, as well as most of population of the former Soviet republics such as Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and others. But Russians are widespread not only in the post-Soviet space, in the USA, Germany, Canada and Brazil, but also in other countries. major states they are represented by large diasporas. Russian is considered the national language. Some sub-ethnic groups of the Russian people in other countries have their own names: Goryuny (region of Ukraine), Lipovans (region of Romania), Albazins (region of China), Nekrasovites (region of Turkey). As for the territory of Russia itself, despite the common nationality "Russian", the population is also divided into narrower ethnic groups, such as Cossacks, Sayans, Tudovians, Pomors, Kolyma, Siberians, Markovites and many others, depending on the region of residence .
What defines a Russian?
It is believed that as a nationality, "Russian" is too condensed a concept. These are not just some anthropological features or surname endings in -ov / -ev. V. I. Dahl, the great Russian scientist, writer and lexicographer, had his own point of view on the definition of a person’s nationality, and there is undoubtedly a rational grain in this opinion. He believed that depending on what language a person thinks in, he belongs to that people. Russian is spoken by a huge part of the world's population and, in addition to Russia, the vast majority of the population of some former republics USSR, while classifying itself among other nationalities on a territorial basis. Russians are more than a nationality, they are a civilization, original and unique, uniting language, culture, mentality into a single whole.
One's belonging to a particular nation can be determined by many factors.
- Here, both the appearance of a person and his speech and even the nationality of his parents can play a role.
- But the main thing is how a person realizes himself.
- That is, if someone was born in Tatarstan, but realizes and behaves like a Russian, he will be a Russian, not a Tatar.
How to determine nationality by appearance in women and men is a serious problem. Unfortunately, now the blood of an average person contains at least two or three nations - and Tatar-Mongol yoke, and Great Patriotic War and the multinationality of the country. The signs are blurred. But you can try to highlight individual parameters - the cut and setting of the eyes, the shape of the body, skull and nose, the color type of the skin, eyes, hair, hair type, and so on. Pivot tables about each nation are quite realistic to find.
But the question of how to determine the nationality of a child is much more difficult. It depends on what state he is currently in. For example, in Russia, nationality is determined solely by the father. As in most other countries. And only in Israel - on the mother's side. That is, if a child was conceived from a man of any other nationality and a Jewess, then he will be a Jew in Israel and have the nationality of his father in his homeland.
How to determine nationality by last name
To correctly determine your nationality by last name, you will have to partially recall the school morphology course. Because the presence of a particular morpheme in a word depends on which language it belongs to.
It is necessary to carry out the following procedure to determine the nationality by last name.
- Write it out on a piece of paper and decompose it into morphemes.
- Pay attention to the suffix. For example, Ukrainian suffixes include - ko, ochko, enko, ovsk, evsk. Tatar - in, ov, ev.
- Learn the root. If at the root of the word there is some kind of business or animal, it is worth looking for what language this word came from. If there are two roots, then in most cases the surname is Slavic.
- If you feel the sound of another language, you need to study each morpheme separately for its belonging to a particular language.
A few years ago in the Soviet Union, a lot depended on the nationality of a person, for example, getting a job, or entering a higher educational establishments. Now we live in a democratic country where the nationality of a person essentially does not play any role, as well as throughout the world, because, regardless of the place of birth of a person and his “blood”, everyone has equal rights.
However, the question of nationality is quite interesting, because each person is interested in knowing what kind of person this or that person comes from, or he himself, so in this article we will try to figure out how to determine nationality, all the more, it can be useful, for example, for emigration. There are many ways to determine nationality, consider each of them.
How to determine nationality - the first way
Ask your parents if mom and dad are Kazakhs, then you will belong to this nationality, but it often happens that parents are married different nationality, for example, the mother is Tatar, and the father is Ukrainian. Then you must determine your nationality based on general rules of one or another people, for example, in Russia the nationality is determined by the father, while in Israel the nationality is determined by the mother.
How to determine nationality - the second way
It happens that a person does not know his true parents, for example, he was adopted or brought up in an orphanage. Then the nationality of this person will depend on his place of residence, following the traditions of this people and knowing perfectly the language of the country in which this person lives. For example, you live in Germany, but your native language- Hebrew, you also honor the traditions of Israel, observe all Jewish holidays, for example, Hanukkah, which means you are a Jew.
How to determine nationality - the third way
By physiological signs, you can determine your nationality, although, most likely, this method can be subjective, not objective, because, for example, if you had a distant great-grandfather Armenian, and your mom and dad are Russians, then you can still manifest facial features inherited from a distant relative, such as eye color and nose shape. Below are the most common features of certain nationalities.
To begin with, let's remember school courses biology and consider existing classifications races of people that are determined by the place of residence: for example, dark skin contains more melanin, which protects from the debilitating sun.
- Caucasoid race - about half of the world's population belongs to this type. Distinctive features: bright skin, soft or slightly wavy hair, narrow nose, thin lips, eye color may vary. The Caucasian race includes residents of Europe, Armenians, Tajiks, Ukrainians and others.
- Negroid race - most often found in Africa and America. People differ in dark skin, wide lips and nose, brown eyes (there are exceptions) and dark curly hair.
- The Mongoloid race makes up about 40 percent of the world's population. It is distinguished by a yellowish skin color, a straight forehead, a wide nose and narrow eyes. TO Mongoloid race belong to the inhabitants of China, Japan, Koreans and other peoples of Asia.
- Australoid race - inhabits Australia and the island New Guinea. Is different dark color skin, wide nose, brown eyes and well-developed hairline.
But, thanks to the rapid growth of the world's population, now there has been a mixture of different races, which makes a person unique. It is enough to read about one or another nationality so that one can attribute oneself to it.
In general, it’s not only interesting to study your own or someone else’s nationality, it’s also pretty cool to find out the traditions of certain nationalities, for example, what holidays people celebrate different countries. As you can see, nationality is sometimes difficult to determine, because in modern life people have a lot of "mixed" blood.
