Eastern Frontier Research Articles

Where Should Europe End? Constructing the Eastern Frontier

Where Should Europe End? Constructing the Eastern Frontier

The production of extended local territory: Topology and the spatial politics of city-region making in China

A new trend has been emerging in China’s urban and regional politics, as it is becoming prevalent to extend one municipal authority to another, transcending boundaries, often through the establishment of joint development zones. These newly produced subnational territories are worth further attention to clarify the underlying political dynamics of China’s changing state space. This paper examines the Shenzhen–Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in Guangdong and analyses the political–spatial processes through which a certain area of Shanwei has been transformed into the ‘Eastern frontier of Shenzhen’. Looking into the relational power nexus that has also been inflected by trans-scalar and cross-boundary dynamics, as well as its manifestations in urban landscapes, we propose extended local territory as a key analytical concept to explore how and how far the rise of extensive territoriality has been articulated with intensive localities. Empirically, we elaborate on the ways in which the territorial ambition and authority of Shenzhen have been managing to traverse boundaries, while also recognising that Shenzhen’s aspiration of materialising its extensive territoriality is challenged by both scalar constraints and the grassroots politics rooted in local history and geography. Addressing the dialectics between the extensive territoriality and intensive locality, we attend to the inter-topological effects and trace the patterns of correlation that are involved in this process, which also turns out to be a critical approach to better understanding changing state spaces in and beyond China.

Kongunadu: A Tapestry of History, Culture and Legacy

Kongunadu, a prominent region in Tamil Nadu, boasts a rich historical, cultural, and environmental tapestry. This synopsis delves into its multifaceted aspects, including geographical features like Kurinji, Mullai, and Marut, which contribute to its fertile land and abundant water sources. Known as the ‘country of Kongu,’ it is celebrated for producing precious beads and gems, symbolizing its wealth and natural bounty. The term 'Kongu,' originating from Sangam literature, embodies various meanings—from honey and wine to forest, fragrance, and gold—reflecting the region’s diverse resources and cultural significance. Additionally, Kongunadu serves as the eastern frontier (Kongu > Kongu), encapsulating its geographical orientation. Culturally, Kongunadu is depicted as the ‘shelter’ of the Yavanas in ancient texts, highlighting its role as a cultural melting pot and trading hub. The Northeast Monsoon, locally referred to as ‘Konga Rain,’ plays a pivotal role in the region’s agriculture and livelihoods, further shaping its socio-economic fabric.

The spatial repercussions of Russia’s war in Ukraine: Region(alism)s, borders, insecurities

Russia’s war on Ukraine has generated a new chain of insecurities in Europe: energy and food crises, new migration flows from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, military threats sharpened by Russia’s invasion are triggering a spatial and territorial reshuffling of Europe’s Eastern flank. In this context, regional dynamics within and across the Eastern frontiers of Europe have undergone a succession of path-breaking transformations ranging from overt support to the Ukrainian war effort to decoupling from the Russian economy and an unprecedented boost to expanding the European Union’s security architecture. However, one of the most important effects of the war is the growing gap between two regional models which might be dubbed normative (Europeanization within the EU- and NATO-led European normative space) and post-colonial (exemplified by different Russia-centric projects within the post-Soviet space). The original contribution of this special issue is to address the conceptual connections between security, borders and national identity to discuss the evolving European landscape. While we do not explore the military side of the war, we focus on the nexus of (in)security and bordering practices to capture how a combination of geopolitical changes, economic dynamics and human dimensions of war has created new borders and reshaped existing ones.

Communities of Romans and Italians abroad

This paper focuses on groups of Romans and Italians attested outside Italy, in all parts of the Roman oecumene, from the Iberian Peninsula and Britain to Asia Minor and the eastern frontier in Syria as well as from the Rhine and Danube to northern Africa. Groups of Romans and Italians are attested at different times in various places, in towns of varying legal status, of various size and importance, even in villages or settlements next to camps of legions. The duration of their presence and the terms adopted for their (self-)definition also display a certain variety. Out of an abundant source material and numerous local particularities that require a closer examination, I will attempt to focus on those data that could elucidate the nature, the legal status, and the organizationof these groups. Taking all this into account, I will reassess the possibility to classify groups of Romans and Italians abroad as private associations, as they are often mentioned in the related bibliography, the term used either consciously or just with the intentionto show that these groups were clearly visible and identifiable in the host-societies.

On the western and eastern frontiers of the «Polish World» and on the Polish identity in the 13th–19th centuries

On the western and eastern frontiers of the «Polish World» and on the Polish identity in the 13th–19th centuries

Architecture of the Far East in the first third of the XX century

The architecture of the Enlightenment is considered as a derivative of the architecture of the Far Eastern frontier, which consists of garrison and railway buildings. The article analyzes the projects of Far Eastern schools and colleges first identified in archival funds. To explain the phenomenon of “Russian style” schools, the author puts forward a version of the existence of a corporate “railroad Russian style” uniting a number of buildings from 1900 to 1926. Repeated elements speak of a plan, which was realized during a quarter of a century. The railway schools of the CER can be considered together with the Far Eastern railway stations as an integral part of a single ensemble.

Frontier Space of Kyakhta and Amur Region in D. I. Stakheev’s Essays ‘Beyond Baikal and on Amur’ (1869)

The article presents the results of an analysis of D. I. Stakheev’s essays from the book “Beyond Baikal and on the Amur” (1869). The author focuses on the study of the essays “Kyakhta”, “Maimachen”, “From Kyakhta to Blagoveshchensk”, and “From Blagoveshchensk to the Sungari River”. Attention is given to the peculiarities of artistic recreation of the “frontier” space. The article discusses the problematic and thematic content of the essays, including the portrayal of Russian and Chinese cultures, issues of population migration to the Amur region, and depictions of nature, among others. The author argues that the character of Stakheev’s reflection is shaped by a frontier vision and a sense of borderland. The novelty of the research lies in the exploration of Stakheev’s lesser-known essays and the application of the frontier paradigm as a research tool. The article proposes a structure for the frontier image in Stakheev’s works, which includes geographical spatial images, ethno-poetics of Russian and Chinese cultures, and the image of the “frontier man”. It is shown that the writer employs a system of folk-poetic evaluations, draws on elements of folklore, and utilizes imagery and motifs from folk creativity. The study reveals the characteristics of the Far Eastern frontier as depicted by Stakheev and demonstrates that the essays serve as a unique literary material about the folk culture of Transbaikalia and the Amur region in the mid-19th century.

Дискурс «собственного востока России» в епархиальной прессе Западной Сибири и Степного края в годы Русско-японской войны (1904-1905)

The article presents the experience and practice of constructing the image of Asian Russia as "its own east", the legitimacy of the imperial affiliation of which is ensured by the joint efforts of the authorities and the Russian Orthodox Church. Based on the methodological approaches of the new cultural and intellectual history, the main “platforms” for the representation of discourse in the diocesan periodicals of Western Siberia and the Steppe Territory are identified, the factors and conditions for the formation and transmission of proprietary ideas about the eastern frontier territories in the publications of the diocesan journal press are substantiated. The study found that the foundations of the representation of the imperial periphery as “one's own land” were formulated in the program and anniversary issues of the publication and, up to a certain point, were manifestations of peaceful scenarios for the increment of the eastern outskirts of the empire. With the aggravation of the foreign policy situation and the outbreak of hostilities in the Far East, the methods of transmitting the owner's reception of the Asian periphery were intensified and actively replicated in the publications of the diocesan press. In the period 1904-1905. there was an actualization of the ideas of the clergy about the eastern outskirts as a sphere of their permanent presence and influence, which contributed to the promotion of the idea of forming an all-Russian identity and the awareness of the population of the Steppe Territory and Western Siberia of their cultural unity with the Russian people.

Constructing the Frontier: Russian-Chinese Trade as a Factor in the Modernization of the Far East at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries

The article delves into the development of the transport and logistical infrastructure on the Far Eastern frontier of the Russian Empire during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout the period under study, challenges that emerged in the trade relations between Russia and China led to the creation of a new freight transport system for Russian-Chinese trading. This system proposed the integration of rail and maritime communication, with a sea port acting as the central logistical hub. This vision materialized with the construction of Russian railways in Manchuria, the leasing of Port Russian Dalian on the Liaodong Peninsula, and the initiation of maritime shipping by the China Eastern Railway Company. The article aims to systematically investigate the foundational concepts and the actualization of each segment of this new infrastructure. The research uncovered that the railways, sea port, and maritime shipping orchestrated by the Russian Empire in the Far East were viewed as cohesive elements of a unified trade and transport corridor. This corridor’s primary goal was to forge an effective linkage with the Pacific region. The data assessed in the study indicates that the Chinese ports and market stood as the foremost objectives for Russia’s geoeconomic pursuits in the Far East. In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of these novel infrastructural developments in the frontier modernization of the Far Eastern boundary shared by Russia and China.

A wall or a road? A remote sensing-based investigation of fortifications on Rome's eastern frontier

AbstractDuring a pioneering aerial survey of the Near East in the 1920s, Father Antoine Poidebard recorded hundreds of fortified military buildings that traced the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. Based on their distribution, Poidebard proposed that these forts represented a line of defence against incursions from the east. Utilising declassified images from the CORONA and HEXAGON spy satellite programmes, the authors report on the identification of a further 396 forts widely distributed across the northern Fertile Crescent. The addition of these forts questions Poidebard's defensive frontier thesis and suggests instead that the structures played a role in facilitating the movement of people and goods across the Syrian steppe.

Siedziby Czartoryskich na ziemiach wschodnich dawnej Rzeczypospolitej – refleksje subiektywne

Dwellings of the Czartoryski lineage on the eastern frontier of Poland – a subjective take Until the beginning of the 19th century the Czartoryski family felt at home on the eastern frontier of Poland. This is where their influence was originated and developed; this is where they built their dwellings, castles, Roman and Greek Catholic churches, Orthodox churches and funded schools. Finally, this is where the foundation for the family’s economic power came from. The article is a subjective take on the historical role played by the dwellings of the Czartoryski lineage – Czartorysk, Klewań, Korzec, Czernelica, Międzyboż – as well as the material remains and remnants present in the 21st century in the memory of the local residents. The story, expanded to include the turn of the 20th century, recalls the social activity of Jerzy Czartoryski in the eastern Galicia, as well as the Czartoryski Kazimirs, in the period of the Second Polish Republic in Żurawno and the alabaster manufacture also set up during this period.

Мифология дальневосточного фронтира в книге С. В. Максимова «На Востоке. Поездка на Амур (в 1860-1861 гг.)»

The paper is devoted to the study of the frontier discourse of S. V. Maksimov’s book “In the East. A Trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861)”. The paper describes the main mythologemes of the “frontier mythology” about the Far East outlined by S. V. Maksimov in the book “In the East. A Trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861)”, which became the basis for the subsequent literary tradition in presenting the image of the Eastern frontier territories. The aim of the study is to determine the features of the creative transformation of the mythopoetic complex (images, motifs, archaic-mythological elements) that forms the “Far Eastern myth” in S. V. Maksimov’s book “In the East. A Trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861)”. The scientific novelty of the study lies in identifying “frontier mythology” motifs in S. V. Maksimov’s book “In the East. A Trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861)”, which seems relevant when studying the proto-textual basis of the Far Eastern local supertext in the prose of the second half of the XIX century. As a result, it has been proved that the frontier discourse of S. V. Maksimov’s book “In the East. A Trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861)” is organised around a demiurgical myth. The mythologeme “heaven/hell” and the opposition “friend – foe” also have a meaning-generating significance in S. V. Maksimov’s representation of the image of the Far East as a frontier territory.

Diet of Indus Civilization: Reinterpretations from Multi–Site Stable Isotopic Mortuary Analysis

Several insights on the identification and mobility of the Indus Civilization were provided by previous researchers based on the results limited towards archaeological context. In this study, several such published data of Mortuary samples from the major urban centre of Harappa, the eastern frontier town of Farmana, and the post–urban necropolis at Sanauli are re–evaluated in context with the modern dental samples. The results are compared to the compositional signatures found within teeth from modern humans from the USA, East Asia, Mexico and Bulgaria, which is expected to show variance in their isotopic signature depending upon regional level precipitation and diet. The results from δ18O signatures from the Indus Valley point towards dependence on riverine water for drinking.

Contested Religious and Cultural Issues

Abstract This article discusses the encounter between the missionaries of the Glasgow Missionary Society (Free Church of Scotland, hence Presbyterians), and the Wesleyans (Methodists) in the nineteenth century and the AmaXhosa in the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony. It specifically highlights the AmaXhosa’s contestations of some European Christian teachings, cultural values, and a way of life, which the Presbyterian and Wesleyan missionaries tried to impose on them in the process of ‘Christianizing’ and ‘civilizing’ them. The study illustrates that contrary to the commonly held conception that the Xhosa readily embraced the gospel, conversion to Christianity was a long and drawn-out process that entailed contestations and resistance on many levels and in many forms.

India’s Partition through the lens of Gender: Trauma and Triumph interconnected

The horrible tragedy of modern Indian history is India’s Partition and the consequent refugee problem. A total of 18 million people were victims of this bloody incident; undoubtedly 10 million and more had been compelled by circumstances to abandon their homes. According to Ram Chandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi, nowhere in known history had the transfer of so many millions taken place in so few days. Women were the worst sufferers of Partition because their life was terribly affected by rape, murder, plunder and devastating bloodbath of communal riots. Prafulla Kumar Chakravarty in his book entitled Marginal Men depicted the fathomless trauma of uprooted people. Actually, refugee crisis was cause of severe headache of the newly created states. In the West the crisis did not take a never- ending shape and ended after a short while. The story of Eastern Frontier was quite different. According to Bipan Chandra, the flow of refugees did not stop upto 1971 in the Eastern Frontier and it can be added that the refugees from the East was an alarming problem for the Government of India. 
 Khwaja A. Khalique in his article entitled Genesis of Partition has rightly raised the pertinent issue that the unwanted incident of India’s Partition benefitted no one.
 Undoubtedly the Partition benefitted none but affected the life of women in both Eastern and Western Frontiers in the ghastliest manner. In this article I have tried my best to discuss its tremendous influence on womenfolk of our beloved motherland.

The location of Mindouos and Roman fortification activity on the eastern frontier in the years 527-529

The location of Mindouos and Roman fortification activity on the eastern frontier in the years 527-529

La frontiera orientale dell’Italia longobarda (secoli VI-VIII)

Paul the Deacon’s History of the Lombards is the main source for the history of Italy’s eastern frontiers. On the backdrop of further narratives from the age, the paper analyzes Paul’s account on the nature, location of the frontiers, together with their aristocracies between the sixth and eighth centuries.

SNAKE ISLAND – BLACK SEA STRATEGIC AREA

In this article, we will analyze the strategic importance of the Snake Island for the entire Black Sea area and even the European and NATO countries, which are non-riparian states. Utilizing historical analysis as a research method, we will objectively state the importance of the island throughout history while also pointing out some contemporary elements. In addition, we will focus on the political, military, and economic factors that motivated Russian forces' decision to launch an attack on the first day that hostilities broke out between Ukraine and Russia. For this reason, after Ukraine had already lost both control of the Crimean Peninsula and free access to the Azov Sea, the seizure of Snake Island by Russian forces was most likely planned well in advance, as a tactical operation with strategic implications, for the purpose of cutting off Ukraine’s maritime routes and denying access to all of its sea lines of communication. Another factor of great importance is the island's location, which presents the possibility of basing military assets on the island in order to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations and even pose a threat on the eastern frontier of NATO with the probable deployment of mobile multi-layered missile systems

The Far Eastern Frontier of the 1990s

The article analyzes the process of changing the content of the frontier over time, under the influence of radical liberal reforms. The development of the borderlands in dynamics is shown, taking into account the foreign policy factor. The vector of changes is revealed within the framework of the economic component and the mission of the Far East in modern national history and in the history of the development of Asia-Pacific Region (APR). A complex of political factors in the transformation of the frontier is revealed. It was concluded that the main feature of this process was various forms of reducing Russia’s military presence in the region, partial demilitarization and the destruction of the military-industrial complex in the 1990s, and the acquisition of new characteristics by the Far Eastern borderlands. The authors come to the conclusion about the dominant role of the political factor in the transformation of the character of the Far Eastern frontier. Conversion and market reforms led to a rapid degradation of the material and social infrastructure of the frontier territories, where in the 1990s the military-industrial complex enterprises were city-forming. The ways of adapting the region to market relations turned the border area into a kind of trading factory; various flows of labor and different forms of organization of enterprises were involved. The first attempts to organize Free Economic Zones and joint ventures, as well as to implement the initial stage of the project of international transport corridors, contributed to the genesis of new features of the Far Eastern frontier.