SAMOBYTNOST

The termsamobytnost, from the Russiansam(“myself”) andbytnost’, which is a derivative ofbyt(everyday practices), is a term central to Russian debates aboutnational identity. Used in early Russian literature to mean individuality and by theRussian Orthodox Churchto mean independence, the term became politically charged in the 19th century during the debates betweenSlavophilesandWesternizers. The term defines a specifically Russian way of living and emphasizes the originality, uniqueness, and messianic role of the Russian people. The term was used in the Soviet Union to denote local culture and unique everyday practices. The term’s 19th-century meaning was resurrected in the 1990s when the newly independent Russia embarked on a journey in search of a new national identity and role in the world.