Russian North Research Articles

The Northern Sea Route: National Patriotism and Business Interests

This article analyzes a campaign to involve Russian and foreign sailors in discovering a sea route to Siberia. The campaign was launched in the 1860s–1870s by M. K. Sidorov, a Siberian gold miner and public figure (1823–1887). Sidorov’s recruiting campaign is a perfect example of an attempt to establish cooperation between segments of the imperial periphery in the realm of a private commercial project while avoiding direct participation of the imperial center. Sidorov acted as a third party in the communication between the imperial authorities and local communities, successfully pitching himself as an independent, albeit not always successful, actor. The window of opportunity for the enterprising Siberian industrialist opened due to the Great Reforms of the 1860s, which launched the process of a dynamic and multifaceted transformation of the Empire. This process was gradually encompassing the most remote borderland territories of the Empire, including those in the North. But, unlike businessmen from different classes who perceived these territories as a source of enrichment (export of timber, graphite, sea-hunting industry, fisheries, etc.), the imperial center treated its vast northern territorial possessions as a burden and did not want to invest in their development. In the 1860s–1870s, the transportation infrastructure of the northern borderland or the Empire developed largely due to specialists from Great Britain, the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, Finland, the Governorate of Livonia, and Estonia. The northern periphery of the Russian Empire was increasingly falling under foreign influence, which caused concern for private entrepreneurs and government officials. A way to replace foreign sailors was training indigenous peoples of the Russian North in maritime affairs.

Geopoetics of Belozerye in Book ‘Journey to Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery’ by S. P. Shevyrev

The article analyzes S. P. Shevyrev’s book ‘Journey to Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery’ and focuses on the geopoetics of the Belozerye region. The novelty of the study lies in its use of geopoetic paradigm as a tool for analysis and its examination of a relatively understudied work. The relevance of the study is due to the growing interest in literary geography. The article presents an exploration of the spatial and sacred imagery of Belozerye as a local text of Russian North. It argues that Shevyrev’s geopoetic image of Belozerye is characterized by two distinctive features: ‘frontier’ and ‘sacredness’. The former highlights the region as a cultural and territorial ‘frontier’ of Russia, while the latter portrays it as a spiritual center, the ‘heart’ of Russian spiritual and religious culture. The authors of the study emphasize that this antinomic pair constitutes a characteristic feature of Belozerye as a local text of Russian culture. The article also examines the poetics of geographical (landscape) and sacred (monastery, church) objects in Shevyrev’s book, emphasizing how the discovery of the value-laden content of geocultural imagery contributes to the formation of artistic generalization.

Российско-китайский трансфер гуманитарного научного наследия М.В. Ломоносова в контексте цифровизации и образования на Севере России

The purpose of this article is to present the conceptual ideas of innovative interdisciplinary Russian-Chinese project “Digital Lomonosov”, the idea for which appeared five years ago and is based on a decade of experience of Chinese studies development in the North of Russia and at the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov. In accordance with the goal, the work solves the following main tasks: 1) justifies the relevance of the project “Digital Lomonosov” and its demand in China; 2) provides an overview of scientific works and interdisciplinary research on the humanitarian ideas of Lomonosov — a great scientist, an outstanding personality of the Russian North; 3) summarizes the main results of ten-year development of Chinese studies in the North of Russia and at NArFU; 4) briefly presents the experience of five-year network project of federal universities as the basis for developing the concept of innovative Russian-Chinese project; 5) outlines the prospects for the project and the promotion of Lomonosov Studies in China. The methodology of the review article is based on an interdisciplinary vision of the directions of humanities development in the focus of digitalization and further development of Lomonosov Studies in the interaction of Russian and Chinese scholars. The authors substantiate a new conceptual idea of international transfer of M.V. Lomonosov’s heritage digitally from the North of Russia to China. The results of the analysis are summarization and systematization of the experience of five years of cooperation between federal universities in the field of applied linguistics and education in the context of digitalization, ten years of experience in the development of Chinese studies in the North of Russia and NArFU, actualization of possibilities of international transfer of M.V. Lomonosov humanitarian heritage, and presentation of prospects of Lomonosov Studies in China.

Исследования М.В. Ломоносова об Арктике и концепция создания электронной базы данных «Цифровой Ломоносов» на русском и китайском языках

Currently, against the background of sanctions from the West, Russia and China should strengthen cooperation in all sectors, especially in scientific research and resource development in the Arctic, as well as in combating problems associated with climate change and the use of the Northern Sea Route to enhance mutually beneficial trade activities between the two countries. The digitalization of Arctic culture should become a paramount branch of cooperation between universities in Russia and China, which cannot be done without considering and disseminating the scientific works of M.V. Lomonosov on the North and the Arctic. In China, Lomonosov was a completely understudied Russian scientist from all sides of his achievements in the sciences. The article gives an overview of M.V. Lomonosov’s contributions to the development of the Russian North and the Arctic, describes the processes of shaping his scientific interests in the study of Arctic spaces, analyzes his main theoretical positions on the phenomenon of Arctic lights and the natural conditions for the development of Arctic spaces, reveals his historical views on the role and importance of mastering the Arctic for the language possession of small peoples in this region against the background of the spread of world civilization and culture, which still has not lost its importance. Moreover, the relevance of creating an electronic database “Digital Lomonosov” in Russian and Chinese in parallel for the development of modern Lomonosov’s science and translation studies on the scientific achievements of Lomonosov in China is considered, the main concept of the Project development and specific stages of digitalization of Lomonosov’s works in two languages by joint efforts of scientists from NArFU and CHU are analyzed.

Geographical variability and cultural diversity of reindeer pastoralism in northern Russia: delimitation of areas with different types of reindeer husbandry

Traditional reindeer husbandry in Russia is a fascinating phenomenon of northern pastoralism and nomadism. Russia is home to over two-thirds of the world’s total domesticated reindeer herd. Reindeer husbandry in Russia is practised by 15 indigenous peoples, some of whom still pursue a nomadic lifestyle. The purpose of this article is to visualise reindeer husbandry, together with its hosting biophysical and social environment, as a socio-ecological system or a reindeer pastoralist landscape, and to present its diversity as a geographical system of landscape zones and regions. Such a holistic landscape approach is rooted in the landscape ecology and reflects the basic patterns of reindeer husbandry’s connections with its surroundings. The research includes 3 stages. We started by dividing the entire reindeer husbandry area of the Russian North into several landscape zones focusing on the predominant migration patterns of reindeer herders, as such patterns reflect the interaction of reindeer husbandry with the geographical environment as a whole. The next stage was zoning by cultural types of reindeer husbandry. In the final stage, we divided the particular reindeer husbandry areas into smaller regions according to the local features of reindeer pastoralism. The research has resulted in a map of traditional reindeer husbandry landscape zoning. This map embraces the whole territory of Russia where traditional reindeer husbandry still exists and comprises 35 units (reindeer pastoralist landscapes) related to four taxonomic levels. The present zoning scheme of Russian reindeer husbandry is, on the one hand, a result but, on the other hand, a tool for further research on reindeer pastoralism within a holistic landscape ecology approach.

РУССКИЙ СЕВЕР. ОБРАЗЫ РОССИИ В ФОТОКОЛЛЕКЦИИ Д.Н. АНУЧИНА

An exhibition of photographs from the collection of Dmitry Nikolayevich Anuchin, organized jointly with the Earth Science Museum of Lomonosov Moscow State University, has opened in the Maritime Exhibition Center of the Museum of the World Ocean in Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad region. Dmitry Nikolayevich Anuchin (1843-1923) was a famous Russian anthropologist, ethnographer, archaeologist, geographer, and museologist. D.N. Anuchin was active in spreading geographical knowledge and creating a Russian university geography school, and educated a great number of students. Dmitry Nikolayevich was at the origin of the creation of the Geographical Museum of Moscow University, which he headed for more than 20 years. The exhibition shows about 70 prints of photographs of the Russian North of the late 19th-early 20th centuries from D.N. Anuchin’s photo collection. A significant part of the collection (more than 3.5 thousand units) is now stored in the funds of the Earth Science Museum of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.

The Excavations of Aleksei P. Okladnikov on the Faddey Islands in Simsa Bay (August 1945)

Abstract The purpose of this article is to present information on the exploits of early Russian mariners, probably coming from settlements in the Russian North, in the development of the Arctic, in particular, the northeastern sea route. Historical artifacts of the seventeenth century found on the Faddey Islands and in Simsa Bay indicate that the entrepreneurial Russian polar sailors mastered the harsh Arctic regions long before European sailors. Archaeologist Aleksei P. Okladnikov has shown that these polar sailors of the seventeenth century were skilled shipbuilders, knew navigation, used nautical equipment, knew the languages of the indigenous population, had writing skills, and played chess.

Book Heritage in the Collection of the National Museum of the Komi Republic

The Scientific Library of the National Museum of the Komi Republic is one of the oldest libraries in the region. For more than 110 years of its history, a unique book collection has been formed, containing rare printed editions of the mid-18th - early 20th centuries from private collections of famous scientists, public figures, writers, teachers, as well as books and periodicals of scientific, educational and other government institutions of both the Komi region and Russia. The purpose of the article is to outline the main stages in the history of the Scientific Library of the National Museum of the Komi Republic collection, designed to identify and expose its unique rare editions for visitors.The first stage (1911-1919) is connected with the activities of the Ust-Sysolsk local historians and the Arkhangelsk Society for the Study of the Russian North, the second (1920-1930) was conducted by the Society for the Study of the Komi Territory. The third stage is limited by the period of the Great Patriotic War. Archaeographic expeditions for to collect handwritten books and early printed publications became significant for the fourth (1960s-1970s) period.In 2011, a new stage began in the life of the library, associated with the transfer of the book stock to the building of the Literary Museum named after I. Kuratov, one of the departments of the museum. When creating the space of the Literary Museum, a special place was assigned to the scientific library: the combination of the educational resource of the exposition and the scientific library with the reading room and book storage. Research activity is one of the main directions in the work of the library. Studies are actively carried out aimed at scientific and bibliographic description and examination of rare editions, identification, attribution and cataloging of book signs. Publications covering the results of researches become the concluding summing up both at the regional and Russian levels. The priority direction is a wide demonstration of their collections using computer technologies, which contributes to the expansion of opportunities for public access to rare book collections and allows expanding the list of visitors.

Cities of the Russian North in the 1620s-1640s: possibilities and limitations of statistical methods

The article is devoted to the dynamics of the economic development of the Russian North in the 1620s-1640s. The involvement of sources on the amount of customs and tavern fees allowed us to trace the gradual growth of treasury revenues received from the cities of the North. At the same time, the increase in budget fees led to the ruin of the local population and the growth of social tension.

Совершенствование обучения оказанию первой помощи пострадавшим в дорожно-транспортных происшествиях на федеральной автодороге в регионе России с низкой плотностью населения

Summary. Investigation purpose – to make science reasonable and to develope a complex of measures for improvement of first aid provision for traffic accidents (TA) victims on the federal highways in Russian regions with low population density. Materials and methods of the investigation. Materials of investigation – a register of cadets who learned the skills of first aid provision in territorial centre of disaster medicine (TCDM) of Arkhangelsk region in a period from 1st January of 2012 till 31st December of 2018. For statistic analysis a categorial variables were used which were presented as percentages; Chi-square Peterson test was used for determination of presence of links between categorial variables. Investigation results and their analysis. Investigation results analysis showed an increasing of absolute number of learners, including EMERCOM of Russia and Russian Interior Ministry staff, of first aid provision skills; additional professional education program of qualification improvement for medical specialists “Provision of primary medical-sanitary help in extremal form in Arctic conditions” and additional professional education program “Provision of first aid for victims in conditions of North and Arctic” were developed and added to the study process. These programs show an aspects of medical treatment provision and first aid provision in specific conditions of Russian North and Arctic; the program of regular tactic-specialized exercises conducting for stuff of services which are attracted to elimination of traffic accidents medical-sanitary consequences was developed.

The "New" Russian North: A Historical Province Facing Social and Political Problems

The "New" Russian North: A Historical Province Facing Social and Political Problems

The "New" Russian North: A Historical Province Facing Social and Political Problems

The "New" Russian North: A Historical Province Facing Social and Political Problems

Studies of Art of the Russian North at the State Russian Museum (1940—1970)

The article reflects the actions of the central bodies of the country, overseeing the art activities in the area of study, preservation, conservation, restoration and promotion of Russian medieval art in the 1940s—1970s as an indicative system of a comprehensive integration approach.The relevance of the work is to activate information on the formation of the rhetoric of the scientific community of the 1960s on the problem of studying monuments of Karelia and the Russian North, unknown until the specified time or registered, but did not have the status of a protected monument. By the exhibition “The results of the expeditions of the museums of the RSFSR on identification and collecting works of the Old Russian art” (1966), the consolidation of museum forces and capabilities of the governing bodies for the study of works of art in the complex of restoration, protection, scientific, educational potential increased.The purpose of the article is to show the result of joint efforts of representatives of the RSFSR cultural departments and members of the museum community in the study, preservation, replenishment and presentation to the public of a number of materials of the culture of the Russian North. The author considers the coordinated actions that led to a landmark event — the reveal of a gap in the national art studies and its filling by means of expeditions, conservation of art monuments on the ground, restoration work in workshops in Moscow and Leningrad, exhibition activities, scientific discussions, participation in conferences and congresses, publication activity.The events successfully implemented in the designated thematic plan — the study of the culture of the Russian North, determined the vector of development of the study of the art of icon painting of Novgorod and Moscow lands in the 1970s and 1980s. The author notes, that in the subsequent period, such large-scale and fruitful events were not held. The close-knit work of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, several departments of the State Russian Museum, and other museums of our country lasted throughout the period of 1940s — 1970s. Thus, this example can be regarded as the only indicator of a large-scale project in the history of Russian art, including scientific research, expeditions, restoration, educational activities and conferences.

Урбанизация Российского и зарубежного Севера: сравнительный анализ количественных характеристик

Urbanization is considered as part of the transformation process of the global, national, and regional systems. The author has conducted a comparative analysis of the quantitative characteristics of urbanization in the Russian North (including the Far North-East) as well as in foreign countries (territories) of the North. The article shows that, over the past 30 years, the level of urbanization in both Russia as a whole and its northern territories has been growing very slowly on the background of the population decline, while the urbanization in the foreign countries of the North is actively continuing on the background of the population growth. The analysis of urbanization processes has revealed that the main quantitative characteristics of RussiaТs Far North-East are similar to those of Northern Canada and Alaska. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that the experience of transforming the regional economic systems in these countries should be applied for the further successful development of Magadan Oblast and Chukotka.

Gribanov Readings — 2022 as a Platform for Discussing the History and Development of Book Culture in Russia

The All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation “Gribanov Readings — 2022” was held on December 14—16, 2022 at the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The article discusses the problems of the book culture of the regions of Russia; this theme was in the focus of attention of conference participants and was the subject of scientific discussion at the plenary session and in the course of the sections: “National and local history bibliography: history, status and new horizons”, “Reading infrastructure: research, exchange of experience”, “Historical and cultural studies to preserve the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Russian North, Siberia and the Far East” and “Digital transformation of libraries”. Within the framework of the conference, there were organized the round table “Modern Library Education: exchange of opinions of practitioners and theorists, managers and performers, teachers and students, readers and librarians” and the First Regional Festival of Scientific Research Cinema “Science Cinema”. The conference aroused great interest in the professional and scientific community. More than 130 specialists took part in it — theorists and practitioners of library and information activities, experts in the book industry, philosophers, historians, ethnographers, cultural scientists, art historians, employees of archives and museums from 30 regions of Russia, as well as from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. The conference was aimed at identifying the main vectors of the history and current trends in the development of book culture in the regions of Russia, assessing the role of books and reading, bibliography, modern book publishing, discussing the key issues of the domestic book market, finding ways to digitally transform libraries and preserve the best traditions of the development of the book industry.

The prospect of using retro timber in the furniture industry

The prospect of using retrowood in the furniture industry. To avoid over-consumption of natural resources, the idea of recycling or extending the life of wood-based materials is often considered in recent times.Therefore, it seems appropriate to conduct research aimed at studying the mechanical properties of retrowood and determining the possibility of its application. As part of a scientific study, surveys of old wooden residential buildings (Никитина et al., 2017) of the Russian North with a service life of 60–100 years and mechanical tests of both retrowood and freshly cut wood were carried out. Comparison of indicators of physical and mechanical properties of old wood and new wood material used in the manufacture of furniture with normative indicators of properties was made. Based on the research results, an assessment was made of the possibility of reusing retrowood in the production of furniture and interior elements. Well-preserved vintage wood from old wooden houses being demolished is a potential resource-saving raw material for making furniture, which is confirmed by testing the properties of this material. Based on the research results, the possibility of designing and manufacturing furniture and interior elements from retro wood is considered.

ДЕМОГРАФИЧЕСКАЯ ДИНАМИКА И ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ СИСТЕМЫ РАССЕЛЕНИЯ НА СЕВЕРЕ РОССИИ В КООРДИНАТАХ ПЕРЕПИСИ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ 2021 ГОДА

Over the past decades, the population of the North of Russia has decreased by more than a quarter. The leading cause is migration outflow, with natural population movement also contributing to the overall population decline. Comparing the data of the last two censuses will make it possible to understand the full depth of the transformational processes. The purpose of the study is to analyze the demographic trends and changes in population distribution in the North of Russia based on the results of the 2021 All-Russian Population Census. The originality of the article lies in the fact that the analysis was carried out at all levels: the macro level, regions, municipalities, and urban settlements. The article shows that with a general population decline, there is further urbanization of the northern regions and a reduction in the number and proportion of rural residents. Particularly high population decline is demonstrated by such regions of the European North as the republics of Komi and Karelia as well as the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions. The authors have identified trends in population distribution, such as an increase in the proportion of the population of large cities and a decrease in the average population of towns and urban-type settlements. Population distribution in the North of Russia is influenced by factors such as the size of the settlement, economic specialization, ethnic composition, and geographical location of the settlement. With the help of spatial analysis, the study identified the clusters of municipalities and settlements with the best and worst trends since 2010. Using Lorenz curves and the Gini coefficient, the authors studied the unevenness of population distribution and economic activity. The study also revealed that in the vast majority of municipalities in the North, the proportion of men has decreased, which may adversely affect local labor markets. The results of the study may find application in public administration and the development of strategies and programs for the socioeconomic development of the northern territories. Further research should consider such characteristics of the population as age, ethnic composition, place of birth, length of residence, number of children, and housing conditions.

УГОЛЬНАЯ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТЬ РАЙОНОВ КРАЙНЕГО СЕВЕРА: СПЕЦИФИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ, ТЕКУЩЕЕ ПОЛОЖЕНИЕ И КОНЦЕПЦИЯ РАЗВИТИЯ

The study was carried out to design a concept for developing the coal industry in the Far North of the Russian Federation. The concept is based on an assessment of the region’s prospects for the industrial development and the specific features of local coal mining. The object of the study was a set of licensed companies operating coal deposits in the Far North. The subject of the study was a long-term development concept for such companies. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the economic potential of the Far North of Russia is not fully realized. One of the promising areas for the development of the region is the creation of new coal production and processing centers. The diverse coal compositions in the Far North make it possible to produce advanced carbon products, which is an alternative direction for the use of solid fuels in the conditions of the fourth energy transition accompanied by a decrease in the role of coal in the energy sector. The article presents the results of an analysis of the current situation in the coal industry of the Far North. The analysis covers such aspects as the distribution of coal reserves, the locations of coal mine operators, their production and economic indicators, and their relationships with the external environment. Based on the results of the analysis, proposals for the development of the industry in the short and long term are formulated. The study’s novelty lies in the concretization of the list of coal mining companies operating in the Far North, the analysis of their economic indicators for the period from 2018 to 2021, and the presentation of a new concept for the development of such businesses. The study identified a lower level of coal deposit development in the Far North compared to other regions of Russia, an increase in the contribution of mining companies operating in the Far North regions to the total financial output of the coal industry, and factors limiting the growth rate of coal production in the northern areas, including the limited scope of distribution channels for end products.

Север на страницах энциклопедических изданий о Гражданской войне в России: проблемы интерпретации и репрезентации

The article characterizes the study of the Civil War in Russia at the present stage in connection with the centenary of this epoch. The author points out the most important research projects implemented in Russia and abroad. The article summarizes the research results and reviews the current state of histori-ography of the Civil War and intervention in the Russian North. The author presents an overview of the consideration of problems and events of this epoch in Northern Russia in the Russian encyclopedias about the Civil War. The article gives a detailed critical analysis of the key problems of the Civil War in the North of Russia and the life of this region, its population on the pages of 3-volumes encyclopedia “Russia in the Civil War”, issued in Moscow in 2021. In contrast to simplistic representations and distortions of facts, the author reveals the real processes that took place on the northern territories of Russia during the dramatic era of Civil War, reflects on the prospects of further research.

Земская традиция как особо ценное нематериальное культурное наследие Русского Севера (сакральная география и геософия севернорусского мiра)

The article presents the scientific results obtained during the study of the zemstvo self-government tradition in the Russian North. This tradition is considered as a particularly valuable intangible cultural heritage. Its image-symbolical vocabulary (thesaurus) could be used in development of a regional strategy and local projects for the spatial development of the northern macroregion. The idea-concept of “zemstvo” (“mir”) holds a unique position within the conceptual sphere of the Russian North’ geocultural space. It is an ideal, canonical form of religious and sociocultural land management of Pomorye, which appears as reserved island-archipelago covered by web of autonomous, autocratical communities. The natural and cultural landscape of the Northern Russian mir is replete with “conciliar” and “sophian” semantics and symbolics of development, specialness, selfness, freedom, unitotality, triality, rhythmicity, gracefulness, wisdom. The cultural and semiotic mechanisms of the Slavic-Russian development of the lands and waters of the midnight Edge of the World are studied. Sacred geography and geosophy of “verhovskiy” and “nizovskiy” colonization streams of the North and the Arctic regions are revealed. Special attention is paid to the presentation of the experience and practices of preserving and adapting the sacred heritage associated with land management and consecration of territories and water areas of Pomorye (Kenozerskiy National Park, Naryan-Mar and Mezen Diocese, the project “Common Cause. Revival of Wooden Temples of the North”).