Ethnofuturism

Ethnofuturism (Estonian: Etnofuturism) is an artistic and philosophic movement originating from Estonia that has gone through different phases. During its initial phase from 1989 to 1994, it was an avant-garde artistic movement with emphasis on futurism and characterized by parody, absurdity and provocative statements. In the second phase, starting with the First Ethnofuturist Manifesto in 1994, the focus shifted to the ethnic elements, foregrounding folklore, borealism and the issues of the Finno-Ugric peoples.^[1]

In the late 2010s, the term was adopted by the Estonian and international alt-right movement to describe their ethnonationalistic agenda. It regards imperialism as a force detrimental to identity based nationalism. Its aim is to create a new European civilization based upon identity and roots and led by Eastern Europe, called Intermarium. Bringing about the destruction of both American and Russian imperialism and replacing them with white ethnostates is a goal of ethnofuturism.^[2] Ethnofuturism contains a cultural and civilisational dimension that helps cement a geopolitical block of countries from the Baltic until the Black Sea.^[3]

Ethnofuturism particularly stresses cooperation between nationalists from different countries.^[2] Therefore, regional imperialism and supremacist thinking is seen rather as a hindrance than an asset. As most definitions of ethnicity in the region are blood and soil-based, ethnofuturism centers around unifying these regionally sourced identities with one another. Most Ethnofuturists share an understanding of humans and nature as being inherently intertwined in an all-worldly collective, very much like a living, breathing organism.^[3]

The term "ethnofuturism" was coined by Estonian poet Karl Martin Sinijärv.^[4] The social background of ethnofuturism was connected with the Singing Revolution movement in Estonia in the late 1980s, after which the philosophy was developed by the nationalists of the Baltic region willing to unify and create a common civilisational platform.^[5] Ethnofuturist philosophy has been popular among politicians of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia and the National Alliance from Latvia, most notably Ruuben Kaalep and Raivis Zeltīts.^[2] They have been in close cooperation with Ukrainian nationalists and organizations from the Visegrád Group member states who share similar ideas. The National Corps in Ukraine also shares and supports ethnofuturist philosophy.^[3]