UDC

323.22/.28: 332.146.2

Authors

Podoplekin Andrey Olegovich
Arkhangelsk Scientific Centre, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
Institute of Social, Humanitarian and Political Sciences, Northern (Arctic) Federal University
named after M.V. Lomonosov (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
Bestuzheva Kseniya Georgievna
Institute of Social, Humanitarian and Political Sciences, Northern (Arctic) Federal University
named after M.V. Lomonosov (Arkhangelsk, Russia)

Abstract

The paper dwells on the Russian strategy in the Arctic as a new type of policy, evaluates the importance of delimitating the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF) and analyzes the content of its development programs. These Arctic strategies can be determined as a “domestic-international” policy (“meta-strategy”) due to the ultimate interdependence between the international and domestic aspects of a country’s development as well as the essence and the international legal status of the Arctic area. Further, the paper describes the socioeconomic situation and problems of the Arkhangelsk Region as well as the crisis state of the indigenous population – Russians of Pomorie – living on continental coastal territories included into AZRF. The key crisis manifestations include deterioration of the transport and social infrastructure and degradation of the main economy sectors in these areas. The paper points out that one of the main hindrances to the realization of regional potential and social energy in the coastal zone of the Arkhangelsk Region is the contradiction between the notions of “indigenous population” and “indigenous peoples”. This discrepancy makes full-fledged traditional forms of economic activities and nature management impossible. In addition, the paper summarizes promising modernization trends in the economic and social spheres of the Arkhangelsk Region according to the Strategy for AZFR Development. Having analyzed research activities of the circumpolar states in the Arctic, we came to the conclusion that research support is a key factor in mobilizing and fulfilling the regional potential and social energy of the AZRF population, including the Arkhangelsk Region. This aim can be achieved with the establishment of the Federal Centre for Integrated Arctic Research in the region.

Keywords

Arctic strategy of Russia, Arctic zone, national Arctic policy, subarctic regions, Arkhangelsk Region, potential, socioeconomic problems, indigenous population, spatial development, local economy, research support

References

1. Goldin V.I. Geopolitika i mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya v Arktike: uroki istorii, sovremennye protsessy i tendentsii [Geopolitics and International Relations in the Arctic Region: History Lessons, Modern Processes and Trends]. Klio, 2012, no. 5, pp. 129–133.
   
2. Podoplekin A.O. Potentsial sotrudnichestva arkticheskikh strategiy tsirkumpolyarnykh stran i Rossiya [Russia and Cooperation Potential of Circumpolar Countries in Terms of Their Arctic Strategies]. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2012, no. 6, pp. 12–17.
   
3. Melamed I.I., Pavlenko V.I. Pravovye osnovy i metodicheskie osobennosti razrabotki proekta gosudarstvennoy programmy “Sotsial’no-ekonomicheskoe razvitie Arkticheskoy zony Rossiyskoy Federatsii do 2020 goda” [Legal Framework and Methodological Features of Development of Draft State Program “Socio-Economic Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation Up to 2020”]. Arktika: ekologiya i ekonomika, 2014, no. 2 (14), pp. 6–15.
   
4. Konyshev V.N., Sergunin A.A. Arktika v mezhdunarodnoy politike: sotrudnichestvo ili sopernichestvo? [The Arctic in the International Politics: Cooperation or Rivalry?]. Moscow, 2011. 194 p.
   
5. Pavlenko V.I., Podoplekin A.O., Kutsenko S.Yu. Sistema fundamental’nykh nauchnykh issledovaniy v Arktike i realizatsiya geopoliticheskikh interesov tsirkumpolyarnykh stran [The System of Fundamental Scientific Research in the Arctic and the Promotion of Geopolitical Interests of the Circumpolar Countries]. Arktika: ekologiya i ekonomika, 2014, no. 4.
   
6. Zhuravlev P.S. Arkticheskaya strategiya Rossii: otsenki, voprosy i problemy realizatsii [Russia’s Arctic Strategy: Estimates, Issues and Problems of Implementation]. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2013, no. 3, pp. 154–157.
   
7. Pavlenko V.I. Arkticheskaya zona Rossiyskoy Federatsii v sisteme obespecheniya natsional’nykh interesov strany [Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation in the System of National Interests of the Country]. Arktika: ekologiya i ekonomika, 2013, no. 4 (12), pp. 16–25.
   
8. Konovalov A.M. Kompleksnyy podkhod – klyuch k realizatsii natsional’noy morskoy politiki Rossii programmnotselevym metodom [Integrated Approach: A Key to the Implementation of Russia’s National Marine Policy by the Target Method]. Sovremennye proizvoditel’nye sily, 2012, no. 1, pp. 56–69.
   
9. Khramov D.G. Resursnoe osvoenie Arktiki i sokhranenie Arkticheskikh ekosistem [Resource Development in the Arctic and Preservation of Arctic Ecosystems]. Vestnik Soveta bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii, 2013, no. 3 (26).
   
10. Bestuzheva K.G. Istoricheskie predposylki formirovaniya “chelovecheskogo izmereniya” Barentseva Evro- Arkticheskogo regiona [Historical Preconditions for the “Human Dimension” of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region]. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2013, no. 3, pp. 5–10.
    
11. Pilyasov A. Nauchnye issledovaniya i innovatsii v arkticheskom regione [Research and Innovation in the Arctic Region]. Available at: http://www.russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=700#top (accessed 20 November 2014).
    
12. Videnie Arktiki [The Vision of the Arctic]. Arkticheskie vedomosti, 2013, no. 2, p. 35.
    
13. Podoplekin A.O. Nauchno-issledovatel’skie struktury obespecheniya arkticheskoy politiki zarubezhnykh gosudarstv [Research Structures Supporting Arctic Policies of Foreign Countries]. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2013, no. 6, pp. 50–62.
    
14. Canadian Polar Commission Act. Available at: http://www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/C-21.3.pdf (accessed 20 November 2014).
    
15. Mandate for the Svalbard Science Forum as laid down by the Ministry of Education and Research on 10.10.2011. Available at: http://www.forskningsradet.no/prognett-ssf/Mandate; nysmac.npolar.no (accessed 20 November 2014).
    
16. Norsk polarforskning. Forskningsrådets policy for 2010–2013. Oslo: Programplan 2013–2022.
    
17. Sergunin A., Konyshev V. Arkticheskaya strategiya SShA [U.S. Arctic Strategy]. Available at: http://www. russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=572#top (accessed 20 November 2014).
    
18. Chronicles of the NSF Arctic Science Section, 2013, vol. 17, no. 2.
    
19. The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 101-609. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/IARPC%20Charter%202011%20%28signed%29%20%282%29.pdf (accessed 20 November 2014).
    
20. Arctic Expertise in Finland. Helsinki, 2012. 12 p.
    
21. Prioritized Projects of the Swedish Arctic and Antarctic Research Programmes. Bromma, 2011. 28 p.
22. Danmark – Løsningernes land: Styrket samarbejde og bedre rammer for innovation i virksomhederne. København, 2013. 28 p.
    
23. FORSK 2020 – Strategiske forskningshorisonter. København, 2012. 100 p.
    
24. Arkhangelsk Region: Regaining Its Role in the Development of the Arctic. Interview with the Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region Igor Orlov. Arkticheskie vedomosti, 2012, no. 4, pp. 114–121 (in Russian).