Archival Material Research Articles

Origins of Russian fishing business in the Lower Reaches of the Volga region (late XV – early XVII century)

Abstract: The article considers peculiarities of development of Russian commercial fishing in the Lower Reaches of the Volga region in the epoch of formation of the united Russian state. To study this process, the water area of the river from the influx of Bolshoy Cheremshan in it to the Volga-Don Portage. Researchers of fish resources of the European Southeast of Russia believe that in terms of their riches valuable species of fish these fishing grounds were inferior only to the lower Volga and Northern Caspian. The chronological framework of the work covers the period from the first attempts of penetration of Russian fishermen into the Volga in the late XV century. and continued until the appearance of regular fishing business after the annexation of the Middle and Lower Volga region to the Moscow state. The source for the study of the topic are archival materials from the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, as well as written sources already introduced into the scientific circulation and published. The latter include descriptions of foreign and Russian travelers, chronicles, legislative and act material, business and production documents, etc. This problem was practically not subjected to special systemic study in the selected chronological framework. The author concludes that even in the second half of the XVI and early XVII century in the coastal zone of the river, there has been little or no permanent development of fishing and farming populations. The State has only just begun to regulate the allocation of fishing grounds and the regulation of their exploitation. The conclusions obtained during the course of the work provide an initial evolution of the fishing development of this vast region

Closure of the Tsaritsyn Gun Factory in the summer of 1918

In this article, using comparative historical and historical-genetic methods, a study of the history of the Tsaritsyn gun factory was undertaken at the turning point of its existence - the summer of 1918. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were put forward: to consider the circumstances of the decision to close the plant, to monitor its implementation, and also find out whether the plant was used in the future and whether it contributed to the defense of Tsaritsyn in the summer-autumn of 1918. The relevance of the topic lies in the fact that since key government figures of the first decades of Soviet power took part in the closure of the plant, and the plant as a whole was an important strategic object , to the extent that studying this issue is important for understanding the political processes of the Civil War. The main material was the plant documentation stored in the Volgograd regional archive; a number of materials from collections of documents were used, as well as personal sources, for example, the memoirs of A.G. Shlyapnikov. During the study, including on the basis of new archival materials, clarifying circumstances of the closure of the Tsaritsyn plant were established: the decision-making process was traced both in Moscow and in Tsaritsyn, the exact date of A.G. Shlyapnikov’s departure was established, due to which he was unable to take part in the process of closing the plant, a conflict was revealed during the closing of the plant between I.V. Stalin and P.V. Filippov, in which S.K. Minin became an intermediary. Finally, accurate data has been found that allows us to talk about the contribution of enterprises established on the basis of the Tsaritsyn plant to the defense of the city in 1918.

Reimagining urban design of stormwater infrastructure in settler‐colonial Sydney

AbstractAlthough many might consider the Australian city of Sydney as defined by golden beaches and a glittering harbour, the city actually has an abundance of wetlands—swamps and marshes laid out across the eastern Sydney region. Dramatic transformations of these waterscapes have taken place since 1788, when British colonists landed to form the settlement there. Environmental exploitation has been a key part of settler‐colonial projects across the world. Sydney is no different. To contextualise this exploitation, I explore the ways in which a specific water infrastructure system in Sydney—the Tank Stream—has been entangled with, and is emblematic of, settler‐colonial politics. I argue that to reimagine futures where such ecologically and culturally damaging infrastructures no longer have a presence in the city requires a nuanced interpretation of both water and history. I suggest that “conventional” stormwater design features emerged from colonial viewings of Sydney’s waterscapes. The transformation of these geographies was imposed on existing water management systems, set within local, First Nations knowledges. Thus, I also consider the Tank Stream as a site with potential to present an anti‐colonial hydraulic urban co‐design framing. I draw on colonial archival material and field site visits to question the importance that settler‐colonial urban design has had in shaping contemporary ways of thinking about watery spaces. I conclude by arguing that the hydro‐imperial knowledges must make way for a culturally inclusive urban water design that centres and elevates First Nations design.

The American contribution to attachment theory: John Bowlby’s WHO trip to the USA in 1950 and the development of his ideas on separation and attachment

ABSTRACT This paper explores John Bowlby’s foundational contributions to attachment theory, particularly his fascination with ‘separation’ and its impact on child development. Tracing the origins of Bowlby’s interest to his personal experiences and his exposure to ideas of mental hygiene and child guidance in the 1930s, it underscores the alignment of his ideas with key figures in the English school of psychoanalysis. The central narrative of this paper unfolds during Bowlby’s 1950 WHO research trip, investigating orphaned and separated children in Europe and the USA. Utilizing archival materials from the Wellcome Library in London, the authors offer unique insights into Bowlby’s journey, highlighting his evolving views on mother-child separation through interactions with his American colleagues. This comprehensive exploration sheds light on Bowlby’s pioneering work, emphasizing the American influence on his ideas, and the evolving theoretical framework that continues to shape our understanding of child development and attachment today.

Manifesto for infrastructural thinking: Living with psychoanalysis in a glitch

This paper is a manifesto for an infrastructural turn in psychoanalysis, proposing to look at institutions ‘slantwise’. It theorises psychoanalytic infrastructural thinking, pondering on its qualities as a particular kind of orientation to action, and showing its capacity to consider multiple transferences and ambivalence, as well as new fantasies on gain, accumulation and redistribution. It articulates the relationship between infrastructural thinking and a postural theory of the subject, centred on considering inclinations, orientations, and disorientations in relation to objects. Drawing on ethnographic and archival material, it constructs a ‘scene’ for observing infrastructural thinking at work, in psychoanalytic free clinics in Brazil, in the 1970s, and up to our times. It looks at the infrastructural creativities of the free clinics, which promise to renew the relationship of psychoanalysis with itself and with its others. Exploring the intersection of psychoanalysis and phenomenology, it traces the work of infrastructural thinking in postural moments, glitches, disorientations, or slips of the tongue.

Legal and Canonical Mechanisms for the Oppression of Orthodox Priests during the Communist Regime in Romania. Case Study: Father Arsenie Boca

The Communist regime in Romania sought to subordinate various societal sectors, including the judicial system and religious denominations, to its ideological goals. This study delves into the relationship between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Communist authorities, highlighting the various legal and canonical strategies employed to exert control over religious entities. Specifically, the research focuses on the Romanian Orthodox Church’s alignment with Communist regulations, leading to legitimacy and canonicity in state interventions. Through an examination of legal sources and archival materials, the study emphasizes the changing dynamics of religious freedom in Romania during the Communist era. An in-depth prosopographical investigation is conducted into the case of Father Arsenie Boca, shedding light on the canonical framework of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the early Communist years and its implications for a modern understanding of this period.

The Development of Specialised Foreign-Language Schools in Soviet Estonia: Creating a Paradox of Privilege?

ABSTRACT This article sheds light on a paradox in the Soviet educational landscape: the development of specialised foreign-language schools in the context of a purported egalitarian society. These schools endured, and even thrived, through the collapse of the Soviet Union. First, a historical overview for Soviet-era development of specialised-school policies is provided. Second, the development of these specialised schools both generally, as well as in the particular context of the Estonian Soviet Republic, is described. Alumni interviews, archival materials and educational publications provide primary source material for this study. Finally, the article explores criticism of the specialised school.

ГЕРОИЧЕСКОЕ СПАСЕНИЕ СЕВАСТОПОЛЬСКОЙ ПАНОРАМЫ В 1942 ГОДУ

The historical importance and value of each heroic deed is shown during the Great Patriotic war. The feat of the cadets who directly participated in the rescue of the panorama of Sevastopol is considered. The purpose of the study is to continue the formation of social memory, which is becoming particularly relevant in modern Russia. The history of the creation of the Sevastopol panorama is presented and, based on archival materials, the story of its salvation is told, the heroes who saved «our history» with improvised means are indicated.

«Спілка Ук раїнської Молоді»: міфи та реальність (На основі матеріалів ГДА СБУ).

The purpose of the article is to analyze archival materials, memoirs of participants, and researchers’ works to highlight the preconditions for the formation, reality of existence, and scope of activities of an organized youth group called the Union of Ukrainian Youth (Spilka Ukrainskoi Molodi - SUM), which at the beginning of its activity was called the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine and gave its name to the famous 1930 trial in Kharkiv. The end of the national liberation struggle of 1917-1921 raised difficult questions for researchers: did the struggle end or did it move on to other forms? Analyzing the memoirs of the participants of that time, archival materials of the GDA SBU and available research by Ukrainian scholars, we can conclude that the struggle existed, but in a different form - in an evolutionary, preparatory one, during which separate groups of supporters of the idea of Ukraine’s independence were formed, independent of each other. The methodological basis of the study is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematicity, and comprehensiveness, which allow for a thorough analysis of archival materials and scientific articles related to the topic. The scientific novelty of the publication lies in the fact that, on the basis of published and unpublished archival materials, the preconditions, formation of the program and the formation of the SUM are studied. Conclusions. The organization was one of the numerous resistance groups to the Bolshevik regime in Ukraine. Mykola Pavlushkov, a nephew of the well-known Ukrainian socio-political figure Serhiy Yefremov, became the leader of the SUM. M. Pavlushkov’s socio-political views were formed under the influence of the patriotic environment of the school and communication with representatives of the older generation, such as S. Yefremov, V. Durdukivskyi, O. Hermaize, V. Chekhivskyi, and others. The formation of the SUM took place on the basis of separate groups of young people who were active in the Kyiv region and adjacent regions, distributing anti-Bolshevik leaflets and calling for the restoration of Ukraine’s independence.

Поселення колишніх військовослужбовців у сільських громадах Правобережної України після реформи 1861 року.

In the second half of the XIX century. the Russian army, which by that time had already become a social institution, formed a separate social status of the military throughout the empire, in particular on the territory of Ukraine. Its representatives were endowed with certain rights and privileges compared to other categories of citizens of the country. After the reform of 1861, significant social transformations took place in the Russian Empire. Previously settled peasants acquired civil rights and now independently solved problems related to the life of their own communities, in which they all had equal rights. That’s why settlement in their communities of representatives of the military state, who enjoyed the privileges granted to them, needed state regulation, which became the subject of this study. The purpose of the article is to highlight, on the basis of available scientific works, as well as archival materials, the conditions under which servicemen of the lower ranks of the imperial army, who were demobilized or received a long indefinite leave, had the right to settle and live in rural communities that had come out of serfdom. The methodological basis of the research was the principles of historicism, objectivity and scientificity. The implementation of these principles is complemented by concrete search, cognitive, historical and analytical methods. Scientific novelty is determined, first of all, by the formulation of a problem that has not yet been comprehensively investigated. Conclusions. The representatives of the military state, which was finally formed in the Russian Empire during the first half of the 19th century and had a significant influence on the Ukrainian lands, were mainly of peasant origin. Therefore, at the end of a long term of service, or during indefinite leave, they tried to return to the way of life they were familiar with before the start of military service. However, such categories of servicemen still differed in their legal status from the peasantry, which after the reform of 1861 acquired civil rights. Most peasant communities on the Right Bank of Ukraine were still in the status of temporarily obliged and still performed certain duties in favour of the landlord. Retired servicemen and soldiers on indefinite leave had the right not to perform these and a number of other duties. This circumstance distinguished servicemen who settled in peasant communities from the general mass of their inhabitants.

Правовой статус офицеров уездной полицейской стражи Российской империи

The article is devoted to the problem of legal regulation of the activities of officers of the police guard of the Russian Empire, whose positions were introduced in 1906 as part of one of the “micro-reforms” of the county police. On the basis of a significant array of archival materials (some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time), the regulatory support for the establishment and recruitment of police officers, their awarding and promotion to ranks, social guarantees, horse stock and uniforms is being considered. Special attention is paid to the duties of managing the combat unit of the police guard. The conclusion is made about the duality of the legal status of the officers of the guard, who were considered to have been on active military service and, according to their rights and duties, were, in many respects, in equivalent conditions with representatives of a Separate corps of gendarmes.

National Forgetting in the American South: White Innocence and the Racial Violence of Historic Places

Abstract: Using a cultural landscape approach, this study examines all National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) sites in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, located in the southern United States. The NRHP recognizes sites representative of “our” national heritage by listing them on this registry. From analysis of these records and related archival materials and observations garnered from field visits to select historic sites in the parish, this study interrogates the officially-designated memorial landscape of the American South. We find that preservation and re-use practices of NRHP-sites have engaged in racialized “purposeful forgetting” (Roberts 2020) and reinforced power relations while enabling the appropriation of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) labor and culture.

Walter Eichler and his role in the development of electroneurography

ABSTRACT Walter Eichler (1904–1942) performed the first in situ nerve conduction studies in humans. Eichler’s work has been largely overlooked and there have been no biographical accounts written of him. His 1937 paper, Über die Ableitung der Aktionspotentiale vom menschlichen Nerven in situ (On the recording of the action potentials from human nerves in situ) was translated and reviewed. Archival material was obtained on his career that was housed predominantly at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau. He had memberships in Nazi organizations but did not appear to be politically active. During his brief career, he constructed novel equipment and established seminal principles for performing nerve conductions on humans. The authors repeated his experiment in the ulnar nerve, which duplicated Eichler’s findings. His recordings were quite remarkable given advances in technology. In summary, the Eichler paper is the first study in the development of in situ clinical electroneurography in humans. Many of his procedural observations are still fundamental in the current practice of electroneurography. As best can be determined, his study in humans did not appear ethically compromised. Although Eichler’s personal background remains open to question, his paper is a seminal study in the history and development of clinical electroneurography. Abbreviations: AP: Action potential; C: Capacitor; CNP: Compound nerve potential; DC: Direct current; E1: Preferred term for active electrode; E2: Preferred term for reference electrode; NSDÄB: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche NSD-Ärtzebund (National Socialist German Doctors’ League; NSDAP: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers’ Party/ Nazi Party); SS: Schutzstaffel (Protective Echelon or Squad of the Nazi party)

Digitalizing and Greening the Built Environment

The paper investigated issues of greening and digitalizing the built environment with a view to identifying applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in it and prospects of smart cities development. The paper adopted qualitative research method, with its design based on archival materials in the subject investigated as contained in the literatures reviewed on it as a mono-method. Google search engine was employed to scout through Google Scholar, Science Direct, among other relevant websites for open-access materials. Qualitative data obtained were subjected to content/thematic analyses. Findings revealed that digitalizing and greening the built environment have great prospects in smart cities development, one of which is the creation of sustainable environment resulting in reduction of carbon emissions from the built environment, lowering of global warming, increase of user participation in buildings and lowering the cost of building lifecycle. Although green building design strategies and digitalization have advanced, full adoption in the built environment particularly in developing nations is required, hence the need to take steps in the right direction. Digitalizing and greening the built environment can enhance the quality of life of people by increasing availability of green spaces, improving air quality, creating healthy living spaces, and reducing pollution levels. The study sensitizes architects, planners, and other designers in considering sustainability and digitalization from predesign phase (incorporating required or special features into the design of future cities, towns, and microenvironments) to postconstruction phase making the environment sustainable.

Kurdish Insurgents and Postgeneration: „Big Village” as an Interactive Memory Work

The Kurdish people, lacking a sovereign state of their own, reside within the boundaries of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, where they are subjected to the rules and identities of these nations, often facing restrictions on their cultural expression. This situation has disabled their entry into the filmmaking, with documentaries becoming their preferred medium due to its cost-effectiveness and simpler technical demands. These documentaries typically delve into the Kurds’ painful historical experiences. Big Village (2020), directed by Beri Shalmashi and Lyangelo Vazquez, stands out as the first Kurdish interactive web documentary (i-doc). It intricately weaves personal and social narratives, focusing on several families and a Kurdish insurgent group from Eastern Kurdistan. The i-doc explores the stories of the former residents of Gewredê, a village that has since vanished. It uniquely blends old photos and video clips to craft its narrative. This study aims to analyse Big Village through the lens of the insurgents’ memories, the inherited memories of their children, and the use of archival materials, examining how an interactive documentary can effectively communicate historical traumas to modern viewers.

Russian historical and cultural landscape of Port Arthur and Harbin

The article reflects the results of the research conducted by the authors within the framework of the scientific project “Architectural image of the Motherland: Budapest, St. Petersburg, Harbin. European and national (local) aspects in Russian and Hungarian architecture – a comparative study of the turn of the 19th – early 20th centuries”. Based on archival data and materials from the authors’ field surveys, a systematic picture of the formation of the Russian cultural landscape of Port Arthur and Harbin is presented.

Mahalia Jacksonin musiikin ja hänen gospellaulutyylinsä saapuminen Suomeen 1950–1960 luvuilla

Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972), “The World’s Greatest Gospel Singer”, broke path for the worldwide popularity of African American gospel music. Her European concert tours never reached Finland, but since the 1950s, Finnish audiences have been able to listen to her music via recordings, radio, film and other media. This article explores the ways in which Jackson’s music came to Finland in the 1950s and 1960s. Furthermore, the article shows how the early marketing of her records and music critics’ excited reception of her gospel vocal expression sought to shape local audiences’ listening experiences and appreciation for the artistic merit of her music. This article is based on a study of various sources including advertisements, music reviews, correspondence and other archival materials, recordings, Jackson’s performance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the film Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959). This article shows that when Mahalia Jackson’s music came to Finland, her gospel vocal expression was recognized for its powerful spirituality and emotional impact on listeners. Yet the ways in which her music was presented to Finnish audiences was often mystifying, decontextualized and guided by the interests of music industry actors. This limited the ability of local listeners to understand the cultural and historical meanings of her gospel vocal expression. At the same time, however, the enthusiasm and admiration demonstrated by music critics paved the way for the enduring influence of Mahalia Jackson’s music in Finland.

Islamic monuments in Azerbaijan in the XVIII-XIX centuries (based on the documents of the Russian State Military History Archive)

The article presents the history of Islamic religious monuments in the territory of Azerbaijan in the 18th and 19th centuries. The presented scientific article includes research on the mosques and religious beliefs of the population in the territory of Azerbaijan in the 18th and 19th centuries based on the documents of the Russian State Military History Archive. From the documents in the archival materials, it is clear that the most of the population are Muslim and Islamic religious monuments are the majority. The article relies on the drawings of the master plans of Azerbaijani cities kept in the funds of the Russian State Military History Archive. It is clear from the archive materials that economic and cultural life in Azerbaijani cities revolved around the mosques, especially the Friday mosques. Thus, the cities were erected not only around the palaces of khans and rulers, but around the Friday mosques, too. Also, at the end of the study, it is possible to come to the conclusion that Juma mosques functioned not only as the religious places of worship, but also as economic, cultural and social centers. In addition, the significance of the study of the documents stored in the Russian State Military History Archive is that it is possible to restore the historical appearance of Friday mosques in the present period from the drawings stored in its funds.

Maintaining Portland’s “progressive dystopia”: housing, carcerality, and the real estate state

ABSTRACT In 2020, a coalition formed between a local real estate developer, a nonprofit, and a senator soon to run for state governor, with the goal of turning a never-used county jail in Portland, Oregon, into a homeless shelter. Reading with abolitionist anthropologist Savannah Shange’s concepts of “progressive dystopia” and “carceral progressivism,” this paper is a case study of Wapato Jail’s redevelopment into the Bybee Lakes Hope Center, serving as an in-depth look at how Portland’s localized real estate state utilizes the logics of “carceral progressivism” to maintain the city as a dystopia that works for them [Shange, S. (2019). Progressive dystopia: Abolition, anti-blackness, & schooling in San Francisco. Duke University Press]. Utilizing data from archival materials, news media, and twenty interviews, I argue that the real estate state, composed of local developers with long-standing stakes in the city, form alliances in an attempt to shift the provision of services away from a Housing First approach and to maintain the city in a state of “just crisis enough” to keep growing profits and property values. Cutting across abolitionist and carceral geographies, I present an engagement with the maintenance and growth of carcerality within the real estate state, particularly as elites get involved with homeless services.

After Mainframes: Computer Education and Microcomputers in Western Switzerland during the 1980s and 1990s

ABSTRACT This article analyses the developments in computer education in French-speaking Western Switzerland in the 1980s and 1990s. It investigates how computer education changed with the arrival of microcomputers, who the agents of these changes were, and with what sociopolitical and economic developments these pedagogical changes interacted. By analysing archival material from five cantonal departments of education and from Raymond Morel (at the time, Western Switzerland’s most influential educational IT expert), it is argued that computer education in Western Switzerland’s general education experienced three shifts. First, education with computers displaced education about computers in the first half of the 1980s. Second, from the mid-1980s onwards, office applications became central. Third, computer education morphed into telecommunications education around 1990. The paper contributes to the historiography of local school computers and computer education. It adds comment on the “glocal” histories of computers, which shed light on local computer cultures and economies across the globe.