ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЙ АСПЕКТ ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИИ ПОСТСОВЕТСКОГО ПРОСТРАНСТВА: ГОРОДА И ГОСУДАРСТВА

Abstract

In a rapidly globalizing world, cities have acquired a prominent position. Thus, one can argue for a city-centric rather than a state-centric world. While not denying that globalization is assuredly changing a relationship between national states and cities, in the paper, the authors question the applicability of the city-centric globalization within the post-Soviet space. The paper addresses two questions. Firstly, by analyzing locational strategies of international organizations within the post-Soviet space, the study is aimed to reveal a relative level of globalization of post-Soviet cities. Secondly, through analysis of the list of globalizing cities within the post-Soviet space the authors explore the relationship between states and cities in the process of this globalization. Three types of international organizations have been investigated: diplomatic representatives, international government organizations and international non-government organizations. The study has revealed 28 cities highly involved in international political affairs. Even though cities from all post-Soviet states formed the final list, some ex-Soviet states are represented better than the others. Moreover, the lists of cities and countries are different regarding the type of international organizations. The results are discussed through the prism of the relationship between a city and a state. The analysis of the list of the cities leads to the conclusion of co-dependency between national conditions and the level of urban globalization. The paper argues the mutual interdependence between the involvement into globalization process and the significance of state institutions when the advantages of the world leading states and cities are continuously enlarging. This result acquires particular importance as in the current state of world cities’ research, the national aspect remains unexamined as a sort of hidden effect on space globalization.&nbsp