Place, Language, and Belonging : Being Komi in Contemporary Syktyvkar, Komi Republic

• Main Author: Fedina, Maria
• Other Authors: Helsingin yliopisto, humanistinen tiedekunta, Helsingfors universitet, humanistiska fakulteten, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Arts, Ferguson, Jenanne, Virtanen, Pirjo Kristiina, Saarikivi, Janne
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Helsingin yliopisto 2025
• Subjects: indigenous studies; Doctoral Programme in Political; Societal and Regional Changes; Poliittisten; yhteiskunnallisten ja alueellisten muutosten tohtoriohjelma; Doktorandprogrammet i politisk; samhällelig och regional förändring; 519 Yhteiskuntamaantiede; talousmaantiede; 5200 Muut yhteiskuntatieteet; 6121 Kielitieteet; 6160 Muut humanistiset tieteet; 519 Socialgeografi och ekonomisk geografi; 5200 Övriga samhällsvetenskaper; 6121 Språkvetenskaper; 6160 Övriga humanistiska vetenskaper; 519 Social and economic geography; 5200 Other social sciences; 6121 Languages; 6160 Other humanities; Komi language
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10138/599716

In an era of accelerating urbanization, Indigenous peoples and communities worldwide face unique challenges in sustaining their community dynamics, languages, identities, and cultural practices. The Komi people, the titular Indigenous people of the Komi Republic, Russian Federation, are no exception. While traditionally associated with rural life, a large portion of the Komi population now resides in cities, specifically in Syktyvkar, the region’s capital. Despite this, the experiences of urban-dwelling Komi remain severely underrepresented in the academic literature. This study aims to fill this gap by addressing the following overarching question: What does urban living mean to the Komi people and for sustainability of the Komi language, identities, and communities in Syktyvkar and beyond? This dissertation is based on a multimethod study of individual and collective Komi experiences in an urban environment. Its empirical core is formed by conversations with Komi residents recorded during ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Syktyvkar in 2021 and 2022. The historical transformations of the Komi people are examined through the study of census and historical data. The meaning and role of Syktyvkar for the Komi people are further explored through multisensory urban walks completed in August 2023 along with a study of urban toponymy. Recognizing Syktyvkar as a multi-voiced place, this research also considers the perspectives of non-Komi residents via an online ethnographic study of social media forums. Finally, the author’s own observations and memories of living in Syktyvkar serve as a supplementary source of information. This dissertation consists of the summary report and three single-authored peer-reviewed articles, published between 2022 and 2025, revolving around the themes of placemaking, language sustainability, spatial and social belonging, and community-building. It reinstates Syktyvkar as a Komi city, which plays a vital role in the Komi past, present, and future. Moreover, it underscores the spatial ...