Внутрисемейные взаимоотношения у башкир во второй половине XIX – начале XX в.

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines intra-family relations in Bashkir society in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Goals. The work aims at outlining the characteristics and new phenomena in Bashkir intra-family relations during the period under consideration. Materials and Methods. The main sources are archival documentary materials and published sources. The analysis of the source material, the assessment of events and phenomena were implemented through the principles of historicism, objectivity and scientific nature. The study employs such methods as comparative historical, problem-chronological, retrospective, logical ones, etc. Results. On the basis of unique sources, such as archival documents, published sources, works by famous Russian scientists, public figures and local historians, the paper provides insight into the family life of Bashkirs in this period — with due account of turning events in Russia’s social life and its actual phenomena. The latter initiated certain changes in this sphere and had a serious impact on intra-family relations, positions of family members. That especially affected the status of women which has also been highlighted in published scientific and local history works. Changes took place in the woman herself, in her self-awareness and behavior, radically different from the established norms. This is evidenced by the increased number of cases when women turned to the Orenburg Mohammedan Spiritual Association with requests for divorce, permission for a new marriage, with complaints against their husbands, as well as by the emergence of women’s societies which became first experience of their self-organization outside homes and that of social life. However, family was still dominated by man, and other members remained as humiliated and dependent. All this attests to the strength of traditional intra-family relations. Conclusions. During the period under review, Bashkir intra-family relations remained virtually unchanged. Nonetheless, the events that took place in the early 20th century in Russia’s social life resulted in that positions of family and its members became noticeably complicated and unstable. The position of woman in family was undergoing serious changes as well: it became different, like the traditional Bashkir society itself.