Features of interethnic relations in the perceptions of residents of a multiethnic region (a case study of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic)

The aim of this article is to present the results of an analysis of interethnic relations among the population of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, with a focus on identifying local peculiarities and key trends in everyday life that impact ethnic interactions. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach to the study of the phenomenon of interethnic relations in a comparative context. For the purposes of this research, this approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods of sociology, statistical data, elements of expert analysis, and personal interviews in various situations. The integration of qualitative and quantitative strategies allows us to examine interethnic relations in the republic from different perspectives. Comparative sociological analysis reveals the spatial levels of interethnic relations and the extent to which they are influenced by specific local-territorial contexts. The use of data from mass republican surveys and materials from interviews and group discussions has enabled the presentation of assessments of interethnic relations, the analysis of the specifics of ethno-cultural composition and land use, the historical memory of the people, the features of ethnic self-awareness, and issues related to ethnic representation. The heterogeneity of the socio-economic space, varying levels of urbanisation in the territory, persistent unemployment levels, and active migration processes were taken into account as circumstances that influence the interethnic climate in the republic. The analysis conducted revealed specific regional features and issues that directly and indirectly determine the level of interethnic tension and stimulate mobilisation strategies. The obtained results can be a part of the social diagnosis of development resources for the republic within the multiethnic North Caucasus macro-region and the development of an effective strategy for regulating interethnic relations that meet the needs and interests of the residents of Kabardino-Balkaria.