Gorenkin V. Separatism as a sociopolical phenomenon.

In the dissertation, the author carried out a historical and political analisis of and clarified the meaning of the phenomenon of separatism. He proposed that it be understood as a phenomenon modulated by ethnic, political, socioeconomic, cultural and other problems, also by the region's ambitions toward political separation from the rest of the territory of the state or toward promotion of its status within the state. The dissertator analyzed the objectives that separatist movements try to attain which fall into the two major types of separatism, i.e. regional separatism and ethnic separatism; unveiled the social basis of separatist movements and studied the specifics of the expressions of separatism in different countries of the world; produced a classification of separatist movements by their objectives, essence, social basis, methods, character of accomplishment. The dissertator produced recommendations as for ways of avoiding separatism by means of granting vast rights to local authorities, developing federalism or regionalism, as well as presenting the regional groups with opportunities outside their own territories.