The arctic in the Russian socio-humanitarian discourse of the XXI century and political geography

• Published in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
• Main Authors: Aladyshkin, I V, Odinokaya, M A, Rubtsova, A V, Bocharov, A A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: IOP Publishing 2020
• Subjects: Arctic; Russian North
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/539/1/012001; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/539/1/012001/pdf; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/539/1/012001

Abstract The article analyzes the transformation of the Russian socio-humanitarian discourse of the Arctic in the last two decades in connection with the political course of the Russian Federation. The article considers the reasons and grounds for the demand for Arctic issues among Russian humanitarians, as well as changes in the image of the Russian North itself. Based on a combination of principles and methods of historiographical research and discourse analysis, the paper highlights key discursive strategies and categories, themes and subjects of scientific events and publications dedicated to the Arctic. The main problem points of the Arctic problem are highlighted and the dynamics of research priorities over the past two decades in the context of Russia’s political geography is traced. The author concludes that the Russian socio-humanitarian discourse considers the Arctic region based on a number of highly popular themes and motives that are set by the authorities and are key components of the narrative and symbolic complex of the Russian Arctic. It is argued that the observed growth of interest in the region is largely artificial, and the latest socio-humanitarian historiography of the Arctic is determined primarily by the official position of the state, which affects the overall level of research.