Rethinking Local Identities in the Russian  North: Youth Seeking Purity

The paper focuses on how the youth from the ethnic regions of the Russian North reinterprets their local identity. For this study, we have chosen three cities where citizens preserve their ethnic history and culture: Pomors in Arkhangelsk, Karelians in Petrozavodsk, and Komi in Syktyvkar. Referring to the model by P. L. Kroopkin, the authors analyze natural and manmade senses of both territorial and cultural symbols underlying local identities. Singling out the ethnic, urban, and Northern identities in the narratives of young citizens in the three cities, the authors demonstrate how the current social processes create conditions for rethinking local identities. The authors show that the Russian North’ youth’ local identities are linked not to cities but to complex natural and socio-economic agglomerations. Rethinking local identities is guided by the interest in authentic symbols, as dictated by the demand for sacral purity.

Keywords

youth, local identity, urban identity, ethnic identity, Northern identity, sacral purity, northwest Russia, Russian North

Acknowledgment

grant RSF № 21-18-00122

Received

20.01.2024

Publication date

20.01.2024

Number of characters

27542

Cite

GOST	Chernyshyova N., Andreeva A., Kuziner E. Rethinking Local Identities in the Russian North: Youth Seeking Purity // Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya – 2023. – Issue 12 C. 136-145 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/socis/s013216250029343-0-1-en (circulation date: 18.05.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250029343-0
MLA	Chernyshyova, Natalia S, Andreeva, Anastasiia S, Kuziner, Evgenia N "Rethinking Local Identities in the Russian North: Youth Seeking Purity." Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya 12 (2023):136-145. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250029343-0
APA	Chernyshyova N., Andreeva A., Kuziner E. (2023). Rethinking Local Identities in the Russian North: Youth Seeking Purity. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya (12), pp.136-145 DOI: 10.31857/S013216250029343-0

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