Cultural Identity in Polycultural Society

Sociological conceptualization of identification phenomenon in frame of modern socio-cultural world is proposed to be analyzed in this article. Contemporary researchers pay more and more attention to the identification processes, facing the stage of cultural patterns change in our country, as well as the global “cultural war” in a globalized world. Sociologists argues that the success in social transformations correlates with the level of inclusion in cultural life, as well as individual cultural identity definitions, guiding human activity and providing socio-cultural “cementing” of common life. Problems of cultural citizenship and cultural identification are being actualized in the context of contemporary global culture formation. In this light, postmodern interpretations of cultural identities are being analyzed, with emphasis on mosaics, ambiguity and inevitable state of diversity of cultural identities in “postmodern situation”. This phenomenon is analyzed from the viewpoint of J. Alexander’s “cultural sociology”, as well as F. Fukuyama’s “identity policy” interpretation. The arguments in favor of emergence of “new tribalism” (neotribalism) are presented, based on a specific cultural identity concept of M. Maffesoli. These concepts and analysis of identification processes, being investigated in contemporary societies, allow to make a general conclusion regarding the importance of cultural identity and its position in contemporary social development