"Sibiriak": Community, Nationality, or "State of Mind"?

Main Article Content

Alla Anisimova
Olga Echevskaya

Abstract

The concept of social identity is being reconsidered in the social sciences due to transformations undergone by (post)modern societies, such as globalization, localization, and the intensification of global migration. In this context, the Siberian identity (being “Sibiriak”) is an interesting object of research for it reflects the cultural, political, and economic effects of globalization and localization, as well as transformations in individual self-perception. This paper demonstrates that Siberian identity is not only a personal matter but also a new type of social solidarity and political claim.
Using an actionist approach to identity studies, this article explores the core elements and “versions” of Siberian identity, the contexts of its formation and actualization, and regional variations in its manifestations. Two manifestations of Siberian identity—the “Siberian character” and the “Siberian civic nationhood”—are discussed, key dimensions of their actualization (territorial, ethnic, and political) are described, and regional differences in the actualization of identities are analyzed. We conclude by suggesting that the study of Siberian identity highlights the need for, and the value of, the constructionist perspective in the analysis of regional identities in mobile, “resettlement” societies. In Russian, extended summary in English.

Keywords

Social Identity, Regional Identity, Siberia, Identity Politics


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