«POPULAR ARCHAEOGRAPHY» AS A HISTORICAL DISCUSSIONS TOOL AMONG RUNET USERS (BASED ON THE SLAVIC NATIONHOOD SUBJECT)

Abstract

Contouring a research field with Runet (russian-speaking Internet segment), we notice an active historical images instrumentalization in order to achieve own political and geopolitical goals. Strategies of argumentations are becoming an important part along with historical cluster intensification in Runet. The set of arguments and the logic of its usage allow to follow basic historical and cultural audience’s characteristics. Using text fragments from the historical sources in discussions represents not only technical capabilities but also is a result of factual knowledge dominancy over theoretical reflection regarding the events from past. Due to luck of specific knowledge in historical analysis and historicism rule ignorance, virtual discussions are turning into only «throwing» the documental texts to the opponents. This results in lifting one participant’s position over the position of the others. Such complex subjects as Early Medieval Time, and in particular, the origin of Slavonians and their nationhood establishing, often become the base for «popular archaeography» with the logs, chronicles and texts of the authors lived during that time. Mostly, «popular archaeography» materials are represented by a very flexible narration of the original text or just an archive material picture/ scan, and very rarely, by the picture of the original.

Historical discussions regarding Slavic history and Slavic nationhood are the reflection of the current social-political and geopolitical events. They demonstrate establishing certain state narratives in audience’s perception. Technical opportunities and information flow intensification let to the closest connection with academical achievements, in particular, with archaeography. However, there is still some gap in reflection of such information along with an absence of critical perception of the sources and their interpretation. Historical sources texts are taken as the argument and fact but not as a cultural heritage. Sure, established facts call to activation of media literacy which will result not just in informational safety but also in critical sense toward historical being, and hopefully will minimize manipulative impact.