Russian Cities Research Articles

The imaginaries of the city of Norilsk, from the Soviet industrial utopia to the contemporary nickel legend

Norilsk is a polar city in Russia, located to the South of the Taimyr Peninsula in the Arctic Circle. The city’s surroundings are rich in unique deposits of polymetallic ores, and life in the city is organised around metal extraction. This is a reason why Norilsk is an interesting object for analysis of the social representation of the city’s image. Social representation is a fairly new socio-philosophical concept. By the word ‘representation’ we mean perceptions that are formed on the basis of reality. In the case of Norilsk, it is the result of all perceptions of the city and its environment. The study is based on contemporary documentary films, geographical, historical and journalistic documents. The analysis of perceptions of Norilsk allows us to understand the reasons for ideological debates around the history of Russia, such as discussions about memorials to victims of political repressions. Statements about Norilsk are contradictory. Negative statements are related to negative perceptions of the city, while positive statements are related to the residents’ love for their city. The analysis of representations related to the architecture of Norilsk allows us to identify gaps in the official discourse about the foundation of the city and explore its historical background. The study has revealed that the Soviet architectural heritage is well-preserved and documented, while statements about buildings associated with the Gulag are relegated to a marginalised space. Consideration of external and local representations of Norilsk allows us to understand the process of rewriting the history of the city.

Methodological design difficulties spiritual and moral education in modern mathematics education in Russia

Introduction. Comprehension of the methodology of mathematics education from the position of the modern view of education becomes especially demanded, as Russia is currently facing the task of preserving traditional spiritual and moral values. The purpose of this study: to identify and reveal methodological difficulties and errors of designing spiritual and moral education in modern mathematics education, as well as to propose ways to eliminate them. Materials and methods. Comparative analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific ideas of Russian and foreign scientists, allowed to identify differences in the definition of the scope of the category «spiritual and moral values». The study was conducted by the authors for five years (2018- 2023). More than 100 people took part in the experimental work, including students of Bunin Yelets State University, mathematics teachers of higher educational institutions of Voronezh, Elets, Moscow, Orel and other cities of Russia. Results. On the basis of system analysis and experimental work, the reasons for the difficulties in designing education (specifics of the subject of mathematics, differences in the understanding of spiritual and moral values in different civilizations, etc.) were revealed. The greatest divergence of opinions was recorded in the evaluation of the experience of moral education in the Soviet school (46% of respondents were in favor and 48% were against borrowing this experience). At the same time, 82% of respondents agree with the need to form spiritual and moral qualities in schoolchildren in the process of teaching mathematics. Discussion of results and conclusion. Designing spiritual and moral education at present involves a number of methodological errors and difficulties inherited from the Soviet past. The Soviet experience of moral education in the process of teaching mathematics does not meet the requirements of modern Russia, the European experience contradicts national traditions, and the experience of Eastern countries with communitarian consciousness only partially meets the principles of Christian ethics. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of a conceptual model of designing spiritual and moral education, which includes three levels (education of a good person, education of a good citizen, education of a Christian) and allows to partially eliminate the identified methodological difficulties.

Primary and residual cardiometabolic risk factors among young adults in a Russian city

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality and a significant contributor to temporary and permanent disabilities worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the burden of primary and residual cardiometabolic risk factors in a sample of young adults in the Russian city of Kazan.MethodsThis case-control study used the Cardiometabolic Disease Staging (CMDS) classification system, which has been validated in several countries. The study included 191 individuals aged 25–44 years who met the inclusion criteria but did not meet any exclusion criteria. Data collection involved a patient card with questions from the World Health Organization’s STEPS instrument, face-to-face patient interviews, and a physical examination. Anthropometric assessments included height, weight, and waist circumference measurements. Body composition was evaluated using bioelectrical impedance measurements. Patients also underwent in-depth laboratory biochemical analyses.ResultsThe study cohort was comprised of 97 females (50.8%) and 94 males (49.2%). The median age of participants was 35.00 years [IQR: 30.00–39.00]. The study cohort showed an increase in all anthropometric parameters, with abdominal obesity and overweight reaching 100% in the CMDS 3. Apart from atherogenic lipids and raised blood pressure, other risk factors that precipitate residual risk and were not part of CMDS, such as insulin levels, insulin resistance, leptin values, and hyperuricemia, increased as CMDS levels increased.ConclusionsThe prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors was high in young adults in Kazan. This study highlights the need for the early identification and management of cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases later in life.

Why young adults consume media content about serial killers: Evidence from Russia

This article explores Russian young adults’s motives for consuming media content related to serial killers. Based on a sociological perspective of consumption, the research integrates concepts such as consumerism and “new hedonism” postulated by Campbell with Giddens’s structuration theory and Goffman’s stigma theory. We argue that consumerists’ motivations and images of serial killers are products of modernity. A total of 26 semi-structured online interviews were conducted with young adults aged 18–35 years from 14 cities in Russia. We then performed a thematic qualitative analysis using the AtlasTI software. Our findings show that consumers of media content about serial killers have two main categories of motives: cognitive and emotional. Cognitive motives could be viewed through the lens of the need for ontological security, an attempt to study a potential threat. Emotional motives were associated with satisfying the consumerist need for constant emotional stimulation and pleasure. Future studies may focus on classifying audiences based on their motives for consuming serial-killer media content and examining correlations with consumption practices as well as the supply-side motives of producing this type of content.

Творческий юбилей Галимджана Ибрагимова (на примере архивных источников)

The article presents with archival materials in which the celebrations of the twentieth anniversary of the Tatar literature classic, publicist, public figure Galimjan Ibragimov, held in 1928, are documented. The funds of the State Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan (Kazan) and the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) have a protocol and a transcript from the celebrations dedicated to this anniversary. The protocol is printed in Tatar, the transcript is presented in Russian. Due to a serious lung disease, the writer was residing in Yalta for treatment at the time. The preparation and holding of events was organised at the highest level, the anniversary date was celebrated even outside the Tatar Republic. Although G. Ibragimov was not able to attend the event personally, the anniversary was held on a large scale and was broadcast on the radio. A concert was organised and a play based on the writer’s drama New People was staged. At the end of the event, a telegram with anniversary greetings to the hero of the day was read and later sent to Yalta. Later, G. Ibragimov sent a reply telegram with words of gratitude to the editorial offices of the newspapers “Kyzyl Tatarstan” and “Eshche”. Among those invited and speaking were prominent literary and public figures and orientalists (I. Rakhmatullin, G. Nigmati, G. Linstser), birthday greetings from various addressees from Russian cities and abroad were read out. The transcript is very voluminous. As can be seen from the content, prominent figures took part in the meeting, such as N. Tyuryakulov, I. Borozdin, A.N. Maksudov, B.Kh. Mansurov, A.M. Arsharuni. The speakers’ speeches trace the significant role of G. Ibragimov in the public life of the Tatar people, as a literary scholar, researcher and public figure. The article provides quotes from archival documents in the original language and facts concerning the writer’s creative anniversary from the periodical press of the first half of the 20th century.

Formation of new health care practices: what sociology [does not] see

The article was prepared for the 50th anniversary of the journal “Sociological Studies”. An array of articles (N = 29) on the topic of health care norms and practices published in the journal from 2010 to 2023 was analyzed. To validate the research presented in the publication and the results of qualitative content analysis, data from eight public opinion surveys were analyzed by the ZIRCON research group and the Higher School of Economics, conducted as part of various projects in 2010– 2023, including those with authors participation (five of them represent the population of the Russian Federation, three relate to individual regions and cities of Russia). Along with the identified thematic gaps in the field of modern sociology of health, it has been ascertained that the studies complement each other and make it possible to build a logic for the presentation of the health care topics covering all its main links.

Economic Development of the Major Cities in the Context of Demographic Challenges

In recent years, Russia has faced serious global challenges. Particular attention is required for demographic challenges, which are caused by natural population decline, ambiguous migration processes, and their exacerbation due to the spread of the coronavirus infection and subsequently the aggravation of the foreign policy situation. The largest Russian cities are centers of economic growth with significant potential for solving regional livelihood problems. An important indicator of the state and development of a city as a socio-economic system is the change in population size. The dynamics of demographic and other socio-economic indicators deserve detailed analysis and study. The results obtained must be considered when making strategic decisions and developing adaptation mechanisms. In the past five years, a natural population decline has prevailed in the studied largest municipalities, which is only partially offset by migration growth. In most cities with a population of over one million, there is a correlation between the dynamics of population growth (both natural and migration), the average wage level, and the quality of the urban environment. In cities with migration outflow, measures are needed to improve these parameters. Since all cities have developed industries, including due to natural and historical factors, systematic monitoring of the relevant indicators and a detailed analysis of the reasons for negative trends, including demographic ones, are important for ensuring balanced economic development. To ensure the balance of supply and demand in the labor market in terms of qualification and professional requirements and expectations, the implementation of regional programs and projects with the participation of government and business is proposed. In the context of the economic development of the largest cities and adaptation to global challenges, it is proposed that government authorities, local governments, the scientific community, and businesses identify new promising specializations for cities, including the need to enhance import substitution and implement high-tech, science-intensive industries.

The State of Post-Industriality: The “Power of Factories”

Post-industrial and industrial today are present in both small and medium-sized Russian towns. In some of them, they continue to operate, but can no longer provide employment for all citizens due to automation and other processes. In some others, businesses have ceased to exist, but abandoned factory spaces are viewed by residents as places where a new factory should appear, that is, exclusively in the context of industrialism. The post-industrial is manifested in the increasing demands of the population for a variety of places of work and leisure, for job security, for the environmental situation, for the comfort of life, and for access to a wide variety of resources. As a result, urban space acquires marginal characteristics: new factories do not appear, plots of land remain abandoned, tourism and creative projects are present, but are not yet decisive for such settlements.We use the theoretical frame of space production by A. Lefebvre and the approach of marginal space characteristics. For ten years we have been researching small Russian cities; the article uses materials from 2018 — 2023, obtained through semi-formalized mobile and stationary interviews, group discussions, observation and photo mapping, mental maps, as well as the “time capsule” technique. The purpose of the article is to present observations about the combination of the following phenomena, such as the continuing “power of factories” and the sprouts of creativity and tourism appearing here and there as signs of post-industriality.

Public Places in the 18th-Century Russian City: Church

Public Places in the 18th-Century Russian City: Church

Vyazma’s Merchant Savva Timofeev Son Altukhov: the Problem of Determining the Personality and Motivation of the Temple-Builder of the 18th Century

The article deals with the little-studied problem of merchant temple building in a provincial Russian city of the 18th century using the example of Vyazma. The author applied anthropological, systemic and critical approaches. In the 18th century, donations for the construction of churches became a characteristic feature of the daily life of the merchant elite. The focus of the study is the history of the Vyazma merchant-temple builder S.T. Altukhov. The example of this merchant shows what problems a historian may encounter in the process of research. A critical approach to the publications of the 19th century made it possible to make a more plausible assumption about the date of construction of the Vyazma temple, for which the merchant Altukhov donated his capital. Establishing the identity of the merchant, determining the approximate date of his birth, the composition of the merchant family were studied on the basis of a comprehensive study of the materials of the first and second revisions, as well as parish registers. The problem of motivation for the temple-building activity of the merchant S.T. Altukhova is considered on the basis of the study of archival documents from the fund of the Chief Magistrate. When working on the article, the funds of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts and the State Archive of the Smolensk Region were used. This article develops the topic of articles about the Vyazma merchant-temple builders of the 18th century, published by the author earlier.

Smolensk in the Book Tradition of Russia of the XVI Century

The article examines a number of ancient Russian works dating back to the XVI century, in which Smolensk is at the center of the narrative. On the basis of indirect data, the author concludes about the possibility of the appearance of these plots on the Smolensk land, possibly in the form of folk legends, and then the emergence of a literary version based on them, recorded in the sources of the XVI century. The appearance of these plots in the XVI century was not accidental. In 1514, Prince Vasily III of Moscow annexed Smolensk to his possessions. The annexation of an ancient Russian city with a rich history and tradition required legitimization. Literature has become a way of including Smolensk in the ethnocultural space of the Moscow state.

Characteristics and Emerging Trends in International City Negotiations

The article examines key features, main directions, and current trends in international negotiations between subnational territorial units using the example of cities. In today’s world, where the global political system is undergoing epochal change, the international activities of non-governmental and subnational actors, including their participation in international negotiations, have intensified. One of the key features of international city negotiations is that they occur mainly in a multilevel and multilateral format. This is due to the hybrid nature of cities, which are both state and non-state entities. The balance of power between cities and states in international relations depends on factors such as the degree of autonomy granted to sub-national units by the central government, as well as the level of economic and political influence held by cities. Sometimes, the position of a city may differ significantly from that of the state it belongs to. At the international level, there are several specialized institutions and mechanisms that allow cities to coordinate their positions and develop common approaches. These include the World Association of United Cities and Local Authorities, the World Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities, and the Metropolis Association. The main topics of today’s multilateral negotiations between cities include combating climate change, ensuring protection from natural disasters, promoting the rights of migrants and other displaced people, and fostering innovation in urban environment and governance. In contrast, bilateral negotiations between cities, based on the institution of sister cities, focus more on the humanitarian, scientific, educational, and cultural spheres of cooperation. Finally, current trends in international city negotiations include the increasing use of digital technologies and the geographical reorientation of Russian cities’ partnerships towards the countries of the “global majority.”

Preparing for Primary Specialized Accreditation in a Simulation Center: Assessments of Students who Studied in the Foreign Language

An anonymous survey of 40 foreign students from medical universities in a number of Russian cities who studied in an intermediary language showed not only the high level of the program for preparing for primary specialized accreditation implemented at the Center for Electronic Medical Education of the Volgograd State Medical University, but also the problems of students with knowledge of the Russian language, which, in general, reduces the effectiveness of training future specialists (in particular, therapists).

Visibility Politics of Disability Representative Civil Society Organizations Pursuing Social Justice in Russia

ABSTRACT The study investigates the visibility politics used by civil society organizations representing persons with disabilities in Russia. The article applies the framework of social injustice developed by Nancy Fraser enabling the distinction of affirmative and transformative visibility politics that allow these actors not only to affirm guaranteed rights but also to promote structural changes. The study is based on the analysis of interviews collected in Russian cities, and information from open sources. It emerges that the reconfiguration of civil society results in civil society organizations implementing mainly affirmative changes although transformative visibility politics challenging ableist assumptions also occurred in the restricted political environment.

Path Dependency vs Neoliberal Urbanism: Comparative Governance of urban Redevelopment of Collective Farmland in Chinese and Russian Cities

Path Dependency vs Neoliberal Urbanism: Comparative Governance of urban Redevelopment of Collective Farmland in Chinese and Russian Cities

Alternative education in Russian megacities: a chance for a different school

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by the search for innovative ways to develop school education. The study of the history and current state of alternative education in the largest Russian cities plays a significant role in this search. Systematisation of private educational projects will help families to better orientate themselves in alternative education and avoid its destructive models. Materials and Methods. An analysis of scientific literature was conducted, and information from the websites of 665 private educational projects was collected and analyzed, including 322 from Moscow, 183 from Saint Petersburg, 57 from Yekaterinburg, and 51 each from Novosibirsk and Kazan. In-depth interviews with their leaders were conducted, focus groups with experts were held, and an analysis of federal state statistics was made. Research Results. The coverage of children by humanistic alternative education practices in Russia is less than 1%. However, over 10 years, there has been a noticeable growth in the number of educational projects outside the system. An analysis of Project websites showed that only 8% of them consider themselves to be alternative education. 43% of Projects have a license for primary educational activities. Most often, projects implement primary general education programs. 23% of projects claim to implement proprietary programs. A small number of projects are based on specific didactic systems, approaches and practices. The typology of Alternative Education Projects is made taking into account the role of the child in the formation and implementation of educational requests. The study identified three spaces of alternative education: projects supporting family education, projects with established didactic systems (program schools), and A-schools. There are destructive practices in alternative education. Conclusion. Alternative education in the large cities of Russia is diverse and includes both humanistic and other pedagogical practices, as well as a degree of uncertainty. The pedagogical practices of alternative education are difficult to typologize. This living organism continuously transforms, sensitively responding to the external environment.

Budget Policy of the Largest Russian Cities as a Tool to Respond to Global Challenges

Budget Policy of the Largest Russian Cities as a Tool to Respond to Global Challenges

Using Parasite Analysis to Investigate the Pathoecology of the Inhabitants of the City of Berezov in Western Siberia (Sixteenth–Nineteenth Centuries)

ABSTRACT The first Russian settlers developed relatively large cities and a new phenomenon called ‘urban habitat’ to the north of Western Siberia. This article presents the results of a study on soil samples taken from the cultural layer of Berezov city during excavations of the city’s kremlin, or civic centre, posad, or town settlement area, and the farmstead within the posad. The samples are dated from the XVI to the end of the XVIII century. Examination of the samples revealed 12 types of parasite eggs from both humans and animals. The city's cultural layer was found to be relatively highly contaminated with parasite eggs. The species composition of parasite eggs in samples collected from the cultural layer varied according to land use, i.e. whether public, communal, or livestock, or sanitary condition in Berezov city. An analysis of historical and archaeological data enabled the reconstruction of certain nutritional aspects of the population in Berezov city at the time. Additionally, certain cultural and abiotic factors contributing to the high parasite infestation of humans and domestic animals were identified, and similarities can be found in the research of other Russian cities of Siberia in the XVI–XIX centuries.

Industrial Districts in Russian Cities: Anthropological Proportionality

Industrial Districts in Russian Cities: Anthropological Proportionality

Климат в классе как условие развития одаренности школьников: к проблеме подготовки современного учителя

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article is devoted to the problem of creating a favorable psychological climate in the classroom for the giftedness development of schoolchildren. The results of a study of schoolchildren’ perception of the classroom climate and teachers’ self-assessments of the skills associated with its creation are presented. The study involved 128 schoolchildren from six parallel 5th grades of the Moscow school and 48 teachers teaching fifth graders in Moscow and other Russian cities. Methods: the questionnaire “Climate in the classroom” (N.B. Shumakova et al., 2023) and the original self-assessment skills Questionnaire for teachers, containing statements related to the scales of the “Climate in the classroom” methodology. It is shown that schoolchildren’ perception of the classroom climate and teachers’ self-assessment of skills in its creation can differ significantly: Teachers highly appreciate their skills in creating conditions for schoolchildren to cooperate and work productively, while for fifth graders these aspects of the classroom climate are perceived as the most problematic. The actual targets for the training of a modern teacher are highlighted.</p>