On the Peripheral Character of Russia

This article argues that space is one of the formative elements in the construction of Russianness and explores how the occupation of the territory shaped the development of the country. Drawing on examples, I argue that 1. Russia can be presented as a conglomerate of marginalities – a centre and a...

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Main Author: Francisco Martínez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra 2013-06-01
Series:e-cadernos ces
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/eces/1562
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author Francisco Martínez
author_facet Francisco Martínez
author_sort Francisco Martínez
collection DOAJ
description This article argues that space is one of the formative elements in the construction of Russianness and explores how the occupation of the territory shaped the development of the country. Drawing on examples, I argue that 1. Russia can be presented as a conglomerate of marginalities – a centre and a periphery in itself. 2. Russian peripheries are not just plural, but also orientated towards different directions. The core deploys therefore a centripetal force. 3. The poly-periphery that constitutes Russia produces an extended liminality. 4. The Russian territory is not just conceptualised as vast, but also as infinite and contradictory. 5. There is a persistence of imperial logic in Russian politics. As a result, we can observe a continuous comeback of spatial elements in the configuration of cultural discourses and in the articulation of power; also the impossibility of full incorporation into the world system.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1647-0737
language English
publishDate 2013-06-01
publisher Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra
record_format Article
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spelling doaj-art-066de9ed2c9d4e17a6a77ef9bffbe3742024-12-09T14:12:37ZengCentro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbrae-cadernos ces1647-07372013-06-011910.4000/eces.1562On the Peripheral Character of RussiaFrancisco MartínezThis article argues that space is one of the formative elements in the construction of Russianness and explores how the occupation of the territory shaped the development of the country. Drawing on examples, I argue that 1. Russia can be presented as a conglomerate of marginalities – a centre and a periphery in itself. 2. Russian peripheries are not just plural, but also orientated towards different directions. The core deploys therefore a centripetal force. 3. The poly-periphery that constitutes Russia produces an extended liminality. 4. The Russian territory is not just conceptualised as vast, but also as infinite and contradictory. 5. There is a persistence of imperial logic in Russian politics. As a result, we can observe a continuous comeback of spatial elements in the configuration of cultural discourses and in the articulation of power; also the impossibility of full incorporation into the world system.https://journals.openedition.org/eces/1562Russian empirespace and liminalityperipheral colonisationgeographical culture
spellingShingle Francisco Martínez
On the Peripheral Character of Russia
e-cadernos ces
Russian empire
space and liminality
peripheral colonisation
geographical culture
title On the Peripheral Character of Russia
title_full On the Peripheral Character of Russia
title_fullStr On the Peripheral Character of Russia
title_full_unstemmed On the Peripheral Character of Russia
title_short On the Peripheral Character of Russia
title_sort on the peripheral character of russia
topic Russian empire
space and liminality
peripheral colonisation
geographical culture
url https://journals.openedition.org/eces/1562
work_keys_str_mv AT franciscomartinez ontheperipheralcharacterofrussia