Urals Macroregion in the System of Territorial Identities of Modern Russia

Abstract

Macroregional identity as a separate level of territorial self-identifi cation of the population is analyzed. Two meanings of the term of macroregion, i.e., the institutional meaning and the imaginary meaning, are proposed. The fi rst meaning refers to subnational level of spatial organization of life of the population of a state, which is localized within macroregion through political and governmental institutions and administrative boundaries. The second meaning is related to a group and a community, the formal territorial boundaries pale into insignifi cance and turn into a mental symbolic construct. The main trends of the system of regional identifi ers of the Urals as a macroregion are highlighted. This macroregion is characterized by industrial specifi city of territories. The boundary of “Europe – Asia” and heroes of the region – Yermak, Bazhov and manufacturers (Demidovs, Stroganovs) also play signifi cant symbolic roles. The content of the existing system of the Ural identifi ers in Perm krai is determined. It is shown that Perm krai is characterized by the diversifi ed macroregional identity and a gradual departure from the Ural identifi cation. The cause of this is the classifi cation of the krai to the Volga Federal District and the policy of former Governor O.A. Chirkunov, who put politics of identity of the krai on civilizational (“European”) foundation.