Caucasian Communities Research Articles

Юрий Жданов – гений места (genius loci): Ростова, Дона и Северного Кавказа

The article highlights the main events of the Rostov period of the life and work of the outstanding organizer of science, socio-political figure and scientist I.A. Zhdanov in the context of the concept of the “genius of the place”. The analysis made it possible to identify, using the example of his biography, common objective and subjective factors, the combination of which makes it possible to transform the individual activity of the genius of the place into positive effects of the city of Rostov-on-Don, the Rostov region, and the North Caucasus region. The key positions of understanding Zhdanov's personality as the genius of the place are considered: regional ideological identification, contribution to the development of the territory, socio-cultural identity, historical reconstruction of the main events. It is shown how the scientific and social activities of Yu.A. Zhdanov contributed to the process of changes in the local Don and North Caucasian communities. An attempt was made to correlate the substantive aspects of the works of the genius of the place and his biography with the basic, fundamental elements of the history and culture of the Don and the North Caucasus. Data collection was carried out through the analysis of scientific periodicals, media materials and publications on social networks, memories of residents and representatives of regional authorities, as well as personal observations of the author.

Confrontation between Shamkhalate and Kabarda in the 16<sup>th</sup> century (the issue of international relations in the North Caucasus)

The article is devoted to the problems of the development of the regional system of international relations in the North Caucasus in the 16th century. The era of the Horde khans and Shirvanshahs is forever a thing of the past, and they were replaced by new empires: the Safavids, the Ottomans and the Moscow state. With the help of world-system analysis the article reveals the transformation of the political landscape of the region that took place at that period. A new look at the Caucasian communities and their place in the history of civilization, as well as the forms happened to occur in the process of their integration into a particular state is offered to the reader's attention. The methods of identity formation used at that period are of great interest, as well as the hierarchical ideas that existed in the field of international relations. For the first time, the paper comes as an attempt to reconstruct the views on the balance of power then prevailing in the North Caucasus that correspond to the epoch under study.

HLA-B27 positivity in a large miscegenated population of 5,389,143 healthy blood marrow donors in Brazil

BackgroundThe prevalence of HLA-B27 gene positivity in healthy Caucasian communities varies between 8 and 14%. However, there is a lack of information in countries with a high rate of miscegenation, such as Brazil.AimTo estimate the frequency of HLA-B27 in the Brazilian general population using a large national registry database.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional ecological study using the Brazilian Registry of Volunteer Bone Marrow Donors (REDOME) database on HLA-B27 allelic frequency and proportion of positives of healthy donors (18–60 years old). Data were analyzed according to sex, age, race (by self-reported skin color recommended by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE), and geographic region of residence.ResultsFrom 1994 to 2022, a total of 5,389,143 healthy bone marrow donors were included. The overall positivity for HLA-B27 was 4.35% (CI 95% 4.32–4.37%), regardless of sex and age (57.2% were women, mean age was 41.7yo). However, there was a difference between races: 4.85% in Whites; 2.92% in Blacks; 3.76% in Pardos (Browns i.e. mixed races); 3.95% in Amarelos (Yellows i.e. Asian Brazilians); and 3.18% in Indigenous. There was also a difference regarding geographic region of residence (North: 3.62%; Northeast: 3.63%; Southeast: 4.29%; Midwest: 4.5% and 5.25% in South). The homozygosity rate for the HLA-B27 was 1.32% of all the positives and only 0.06% in the general population.ConclusionsOur findings provide the first Brazilian national prevalence for HLA-B27 in 4.35%. There is a gradient gene positivity from North to South, suggesting that the genetic background related to the miscegenation due to colonization, slavery, and some later waves of immigration together with internal migratory flows, could explain our findings.

Cultural Memory of the North Caucasian Communities in the Conditions of the Risk-Generating Ethnopolitical Situation

The ethnopolitical situation in the North Caucasian communities is characterized by instability, which is caused not only by the socio-economic situation in the region, but also by socio-cultural processes. Recently, in the socio-cultural life of the region, the issues of the memory of history have been actualized in connection with the spread of various cultural meanings manifested in cultural memory, aimed at preserving and reproducing the integrity of the sociocultural organism, and historical memory, which is an ideological reflection of social reality, framed by political interests of ethnic entrepreneurs. The aim of the study is to determine which mechanisms of the reproduction of socio-cultural practices, namely, cultural memory and / or historical memory – prevail in the North Caucasian communities. The study revealed the dominance of historical memory as a factor in the dynamics of socio-cultural processes. This results in the formation by each ethno-nation of its “own” historical memory, the use of which leads to an increase of risks for the stability of ethnopolitical situation in the North Caucasus. The conclusion is made about the importance of activating the mechanisms of consolidation in the socio-cultural practice of the North Caucasian communities, and strengthening peace and cooperation between people of different ethnic and religious identity. This can be facilitated by the reorientation of the historical consciousness of the inhabitants of the North Caucasus region from historical to cultural memory.

ГРАЖДАНСКО-ИНИЦИАТИВНАЯ МЕДИАЦИЯ В СООБЩЕСТВАХ СЕВЕРО-КАВКАЗСКОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА В УСЛОВИЯХ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ ГЕОПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ РИСКОВ

The article contains a political understanding of mediation not only as a professional and expert process carried out by professionals, but as a broad process, the subjects of which are social activists and civil society institutions. The author's interpretation of mediation as a broad civil initiative activity is proposed, which, in the current conditions of geopolitical challenges, is of particular relevance. The determinants and needs of broad civil-initiative mediation in the North Caucasian communities are traced, taking into account ethno-confessional interests, as well as taking into account the growing risks of international relations. Niches and directions for the desired expansion of broad civil-initiative mediation are highlighted as opposed to negative external influence within the framework of anti-Russian sanctions of the «collective West».

НОВЫЕ КНИГИ О РОССИЙСКОМ ЗАРУБЕЖЬЕ XX В.: СЕВЕРОКАВКАЗСКАЯ ДИАСПОРА В ЕВРОПЕ

The paper is a critical review of two books devoted to the peculiarities of the formation, social life and personalities of the North Caucasian diaspora in 20th century Europe: the monograph “North Caucasian emigrants in France” and the biographical dictionary “North Caucasians in emigration in the 20th century”. The reviewer notes that their author Irina Babich introduced into scientific circulation a diverse, full of valuable information complex of materials from French archives, creating on that basis a number of historical and ethnographic studies of the North Caucasian communities of Europe in the 1920s – 1930s. In the monograph under review, the author analyzes the social structure, everyday life and culture of emigrants from the North Caucasus who arrived to France in different periods of the 20th century. The study of sociopolitical movements and religious life of the North Caucasian communities, carried out on the basis of archival sources, is of considerable scientific interest. The reviewer proposes to consider biographical dictionary, prepared by a research team consisting of I.L. Babich, T.A. Gladkova and L.A. Mnukhin as an addition to the well-known series of reference books on the history of the Russian diaspora in France, edited by L.A. Mnukhin in the 1990s – 2000s. The reviewed publications together make an important contribution to the further development of the issues of the Russian far abroad in Europe, revealing, at the same time, the potential of new thematic perspectives in the development of that large topic related to the history of the peoples of Russia, trends of modern global development, the transformation of the concept of “diaspora” in international humanities.

Settlement Strategies of Caucasian Expatriate Communities in Volgograd Region: Final Third of the XXth Century – Early XXIst Century

The purpose of this article is to study the geographic and demographic dynamics and the main settlement strategies of the leading Caucasian expatriate communities of Volgograd region. The study has found that the accelerated demographic growth of Caucasian communities of the region in the last third of the 20th century and in the early 21st century was primarily determined not by its natural dynamics, but by the arrival of migrants. The educational and labor migration of people born in the Caucasus into the region in the 1950s – 1960s formed small ethnic groups consisting mainly of men and their significant part concentrated in cities. The main reasons for the accelerated growth of regional expatriate communities of the peoples of the Southern Caucasus at the end of the Soviet period became social, economic problems and the growth of interethnic tension in the republics of Transcaucasia. The same factors contributed to a rapid demographic growth of these communities in the 1990s. The central driver of the quantitative growth of the number of North Caucasian expatriate communities in the 1970s – 1980s was the development of livestock husbandry in arid rural areas of the region. This economic niche significantly changed the settlement parameters, social and demographic characteristics of the North Caucasian communities. With a rapid increase of the number of communities, their level of urbanization significantly reduced, but at the same time the gender imbalance changed. The early 21st century for the majority of the Caucasian expatriate communities in the region became a time of quantitative stabilization and optimization of the already existing settlement areas.

СОСНОВЫЕ ЛЕСА КЛАССА ERICO-PINETEA HORVAT 1959 В ДАГЕСТАНЕ (СЕВЕРНЫЙ КАВКАЗ)

The paper represents the results of grass pine forests classification in Dagestan by the Brown-Blanquet method. A number of 68 releves of pine forests (taken from the paper by Abdurakhmanova et al., 2018) were included in two higher categories of vegetation – the boreal forests of the class Vaccinio–Piceetea Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1939 and the sub-Mediterranean thermophilous forests of the class Erico–Pinetea Horvat 1959 based on the quantitative classification. Comparative syntaxonomic analysis of the Caucasian communities of the Erico–Pinetea class revealed their high level of floristic originality in comparison with similar forests of southern Europe, Western Asia and Crimea. This corresponds to the unique bioclimatic conditions of Dagestan located on the territory with a clear effect of «rain shadow» from the high mountain ranges of the Greater Caucasus stretching on the way of the western Atlantic moist air masses that result in the high climate continentality. These essential ecological and floristic peculiarities of the grass pine forests of the Eastern Caucasus provided a basis for the description of a new order — Alchemillo sericaceae–Pinetalia sylvestris ord. nova hoc loco representing the extreme eastern part of the Erico–Pinetea class range. The diagnostic species group of the order includes dominantly Eastern-Euxinian, Caucasian endemics and Eurasian xerophilous species: Juniperus oblonga, Alchemilla sericata, Galium valantioides, Peucedanum ruthenicum, Thalictrum foetidum, Rosa elasmacantha, Filipendula vulgaris, Koeleria cristata, as well as diagnostic species of subordinated alliances. The order includes two alliances demonstrating the ecological and floristic differences of Dagestan pine forests due to the thermic factor. The alliance Bupleuro polyphylli–Pinion sylvestris all. nova hoc loco (holotypus of the order) includes grass pine forests with predominance of thermophilous floristic elements. Differential species of the alliance are Astrantia major, Valeriana alliariifolia, Polygonatum verticillatum, Pyrethrum coccineum, Psephellus daghestanicus, Galium rubioides, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Rubus saxatilis, Brachypodium pinnatum, Fragaria vesca, Fragaria viridis, Primula macrocalyx, Anthriscus sylvestris, Amoria ambigua, Bupleurum polyphyllum, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Rhodobryum roseum, Climacium dendroides, Abietinella abietina, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Betula litwinowii, B. pendula. Three associations and two non-rank communities were included in the alliance (Carici albae–Pinetum sylvestris Ermakov, Abdurakhmanova, Potapenko 2019 — holotypus of the alliance, Ranunculo caucasicae–Pinetum sylvestris ass. nova hoc loco, Viburno lanatae–Pinetum sylvestris Ermakov, Abdurakhmanova, Potapenko 2019, community Stachys atherocalyx–Pinus sylvestris, community Centaurea phrygia–Pinus sylvestris). The alliance Onobrichido cornutae–Pinion sylvestris all. nova hoc loco includes unique cryophilous pine forests with predominance of the cushion plants in the gound layer and numerous constant species of Caucasian cryophilous and xerophilous endemics. Diagnostic species of the alliance are Onobrychis cornuta, Festuca woronowii, Gypsophila tenuifolia, Salvia canescens, Rosa elasmacantha, Androsace koso-poljanskii, Galium brachyphyllum, Thymus daghestanicus, Asperula alpina, Anthemis dumetorum, Scutellaria oreophila, Satureja subdentata, Potentilla recta, Teucrium polium, Euphorbia virgate, Scabiosa gumbetica, Astragalus alexandri, A. fissuralis, Seseli alexeenkoi, Pseudomuscari pallens, Rhamnus pallasii, Vincetoxicum funebre, Jurinea ruprechtii, Helianthemum dagestanicum, Stipa caucasica, Centaurea edmondii, Selaginella helvetica, Scorzonera filifolia, Dracocephalum austriacum, Viola somchetica, Oxytropis lanata. At present the alliance is represented by a single association – the Onobrichido cornutae–Pinetum sylvestris ass. nova hoc loco. The results of the classification have demonstrated a significant level of originality of the Caucasian grass pine forests and a high floristic status of the Caucasus as a one of the important centers of modern phytodiversity.

Rethinking architectural techniques of the Southern Caucasus in the 6th millennium BC: A re-examination of former data and new insights

On the basis of new data coming from recent excavations and the re-examination of former publications, a synthesis of architectural techniques in the Southern Caucasus Neolithic is proposed in this article. Using typological and technological analysis, and taking into account building materials, layout techniques and architectural morphology, an attempt has been made to define the technical characteristics of the Early Neolithic communities in this region. The evolution of architectural techniques consists of a complex and slow phenomenon where technical inertia and regional specificities were merged. Although no major technical change occurred throughout the 6th millennium BC, we nevertheless noticed the establishment of distinct construction processes that enabled the identification of well-defined “techno-cultural” groups, leading us to reconsider the model of a unique “Shulaveri-Shomu” culture. Finally, the development of the Caucasian communities’ technical advancement is compared with that of the neighbouring Near Eastern ones in order to shed light on the origins of the Neolithic in the Caucasus.

«Culture of daily life» in the context of integration of migrants from the Caucasus countries

The paper deals with the results of standardized and in-depth interviews with representatives of the Caucasian peoples (Azerbaijanis, Armenians and Georgians), now living on the territory of Samara and Samara Region. The interviews were executed in 20162017 within the project supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. The main areas of study of sociocultural problems of migration in the Russian science were discussed. The survey results registered preservation and functionality in the new environment of such markers of cultural boundaries as the ethnic style of the house interiors (carpets, glassware, national flag, pictures, etc.), the use of national cuisine, musical selections. Every second respondent notes, that he continues to read the periodical press in mother-tongue. Such indicators of cultural potential of diaspora communities as communication with representatives of other people and the installation in matrimonial behavior are considered. Representatives of the Caucasian diaspora communities demonstrate differentiated by groups of analysis interaction with neighbors and colleagues. Armenians most closely communicate with neighbors and co-workers. Almost all respondents indicate close contact with friends, among them representatives of different nationalities. The vast majority of respondents are positive about the inter-ethnic marriage. Close communication and friendship with representatives of host community, and positive attitudes in matrimonial behavior is something we see as the individual integration strategy, contributes to integration of foreign culture migrants from states of the Caucasus in the host community.

CAUCASIAN MINORITIES OF KRASNODAR REGION: CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL REPRODUCTION

The article analyzes the retrospective transformation of ethno-demographic structure of the population of Krasnodar region from the perspective of representation, dynamics and characteristics of reproduction of Caucasian ethnic groups in the post-Soviet period. On the basis of census data in 1989, 2002 and 2010 describes the general trends, and compares the demographic development of the Caucasian ethnic groups in the region. The concept of Caucasian ethnicity used in its geographical rather than linguistic or cultural and historical significance. The authors classify living in the Caucasus region, minority, into several groups: indigenous peoples of the region, internal diaspora indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation, the Diaspora peoples who have their own national state or ethnic core outside of Russia. A comparison of the natural reproduction and migration of Caucasian ethnic groups in the region, analyzed the regional dynamics of migration as a factor of change in the population of the Caucasian diaspora. At the same time the features of the regional identity of the Caucasian communities, causes the appearance of new forms of ethnic identification. On the example of "Circassian issue" through the process of ethnic mobilization in modern conditions, and on the example of the Turkish community analyzes the problem of ethnic segregation in the province, spread ethnophobia, which resulted in mass re-emigration. At the end of the article presents forecast of development of processes of ethno-demographic reproduction of Caucasian minorities in the Krasnodar Territory.

FRENCH-SPEAKING EXPLORERS OF THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS IN THE XVIII AND XIX CENTURIES REPORTING ON THE LARGEST SILK ROUTE (AN APROACH TO THE ANCIENT CONTACTS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES INHABITING THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS, ASIA AND EUROPE)

The paper presented a review of the records made by the French-speaking explorers of the Caucasus (of the period from the XVIII to XIX centuries) reporting the facts on the Largest Silk Route. The notes mentioned the ancient contacts between the Northern Caucasian ethnic communities and the communities of Asia and Europe. The contribution the French-speaking researchers have made had shaped the headway elaborating the issue, in particular, exploring cultural interactions established from the IV century B.C. to XI century A.D. owing to the ancient tracks beaten across the Northern Caucasus. Carl von Richthofen was the first to launch the expression the «Largest Silk Route» into the academic turnover once having published the book in 1877 where the writer called by this term the tracks having linked two worlds, - the Orient and the West. The ancient writers Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny had evidenced for existence of the ancient merchant track since the IV century B.C. Some French-speaking explorers over the XVIII andXIX centuries had taken a keen interest in discovering the ancient merchant routes in the steppes of the Southern Russia and the Northern Caucasus. The paper reviewed different standpoints on the issue of the Silk Route that such French-speaking authors produced as J. Potocki et F. Dubois de Montereux. Owing to details reported by F. Gilles, the author made the substantial amendment to the issue of positioning for the ancient Caucasian fortress Borgoustan.

Fashion as public art: Strengthening communities through site-specific fashion collections

Abstract Fashion design and public art can be perceived to inhabit almost opposite realms, yet both practices engage audiences in the social domain. Through the completion of three site-specific projects, I have found that combining both disciplines makes for a uniquely effective way to empower and strengthen communities. To wit, my most recent sited fashion project brought together the African American and Caucasian communities of Cincinnati, Ohio, transforming the city into a space for cultural discourse. The success of these in situ fashion projects underlines the advantages of such work over other forms of public art, as audiences normally intimidated by contemporary art become willing participants in fashion-based undertakings. This article introduces the concept of site-specific collections, explains the peculiarities of fashion-based public-art practice, and defines their objectives, features and theoretical framework.

Types and distribution of congenital heart defects associated with trisomy 21 in Singapore

Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is widely accepted as the most common type of congenital heart defect in trisomy 21. Most of these studies, however, were conducted in Caucasian communities. The few Asian studies that had been conducted on this subject yielded different results. In the largest study of its kind in Asia, we described the distribution of types of congenital heart defects associated with trisomy 21 in Singapore. Five hundred and eighty-eight patients with trisomy 21 born in 1996-2010, and confirmed by karyotyping, were included in the study. The diagnosis of congenital heart defects were made on echocardiography. Variables extracted for analysis were demographics (race and gender) and the types of congenital heart defects. Except for complex cyanotic heart defects, haemodynamically significant lesions were accounted for separately in cases where more than one type of congenital heart defect coexisted in a patient. Ventricular septal defect (VSD) (39.2%) was the most common congenital heart defect associated with trisomy 21 in our study, followed by patent ductus arteriosus (34.3%), secundum atrial septal defect (23.4%) and AVSD (15.6%). This study validates previous smaller Asian studies identifying VSD as the most common cardiac lesion associated with trisomy 21. A high proportion (25.0%) of trisomy 21 patients with tetralogy of Fallot also had AVSDs. Coarctation of the aorta was uncommon. VSD was the most common congenital heart defect seen in trisomy 21 in our study. A high proportion (25.0%) of trisomy 21 patients with tetralogy of Fallot also had AVSDs.

The correlation between dominance level and local species richness: An analysis of the underlying causes by the example of the West Caucasian arboreal and avian communities

It is known that the local species richness of biological communities with a high dominance level is usually lower than in communities with a low dominance. Taking into account the complex nature of the dominance phenomenon, the causes underlying this correlation can be diverse, yet they commonly remain beyond the scope of performed analyses. The goal of this work was to consider this issue by the example of West Caucasian tree and insectivorous bird communities. The results demonstrate that the correlation between the dominance level and local species richness to a considerable degree (50–60%) is a consequence of preemption of a larger or smaller amount of resources by the dominant species. However, the ecological processes determining the general pattern of resource distribution among species also play a certain role in these relationships, as well as the size of the species pool, which concurrently influences both the local species richness of communities and the number of potential dominants. The relative contributions of various mechanisms to the establishment of the considered correlation depend on the degree to which the rank structure of species abundance in communities matches the geometric series model.

The Intersection of Theory and Practice: Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice at the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF)

The topic of environmental degradation and sustainability has long been a popular topic, but often, discussions and efforts have traditionally focused within predominantly upper-middle class, educated, Caucasian communities. The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF), hosted by Ithaca College in New York, is an interdisciplinary, multi-media annual event that draws upon the intersections of media, social justice, and environmental sustainability. By attracting a cohort of doctoral students of color, it is a model of the nexus of theory and practice in ecosee and just sustainability.

Massachusetts Justice Policy Recommendations: Addressing Disproportionate Minority Contact

This article makes several policy recommendations relating to the state of the criminal justice system in Massachusetts to address the problem of disproportionate minority contact (DMC). The article provides some recent historical perspectives, as well as accepted sociological theory to help clarify this problem. In responding to crime, law enforcement officials are confronted with a great many challenges and officer safety is paramount in any officer interaction, remaining a primary focus of police training nationally and internationally. However, an increasingly mobile society creates challenges extending beyond officer safety which have liability and other ramifications if not understood. These challenges include the varying opinions and attitudes ingrained in some minority groups that have developed over time as a result of both perceived and experienced contact with the American criminal justice system. Without proper training, suburban practitioners serving predominantly Caucasian communities will have no cultural context from which to deal with the new, varied population that social mobility brings. The article recommends cultural diversity training to extend practitioners' ability to interpret the language, behaviours and actions of the various peoples with whom they are not intimately familiar and to make conscious decisions based upon real knowledge rather than attribute intent based upon biases and stereotypes. The article further recommends that Massachusetts should examine national best practices and endeavour to improve and standardise the way in which data are collected, compiled and disseminated and the government should seek out these successful programmes and attach a representative to each to act as a conduit to various state agencies.

Sceptre of a Masker (On Some Folk Rituals in Dagestan)

AbstractMaskers play a vital role in the ritual and social ceremonies of Dagestan. With sceptre in hand, the maskers' part in folk traditions has preserved this previously sacral iconography in a profane form. This paper seeks to illuminate the role of the maskers and the mythological symbolism of the sceptre through descriptive analysis of festive ceremonies in Dagestan, while comparing its function to other Caucasian communities.

Knee alignment differences between Chinese and Caucasian subjects without osteoarthritis

Objective:Despite the lower prevalence of obesity (a known risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA)), the prevalence of lateral tibiofemoral OA is higher in Chinese communities compared with Caucasian communities. One potential...

Differences in Lifestyle Factors that Affect Health in Caucasian, African American and Hispanic Communities

Differences in Lifestyle Factors that Affect Health in Caucasian, African American and Hispanic Communities