Home – Home – Jornals – Humanitarian sciences in Siberia 2017 number

The article aims to provide an overview of the English- and German-language studies on the history of Russo-aboriginal relations in the XIX - early XX centuries. In the West the most significant contribution to this research field was made by M. Raeff, Yu. Slezkine, A. Znamenski (USA), T. Armstrong, J. Forsyth, D. Collins (UK), A. Kappeler, E.-M. Stolberg (Germany) et al. Many foreign authors believe that the Siberian reform of M. M. Speransky (1822) opened a new phase in the history of relations between the indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Siberia. Western researchers focused on investigating reasons and effects of “The Statute of Alien Administration” (1822); processes of adaptation, acculturation and assimilation of indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Siberia and Far East; problems of identity and self-identity, national and regional consciousness of aboriginal population, its participation in the social and political life of the region. Based on the wide range of sources and field research findings the Western historians, anthropologists, ethnographers analyzed factors that determined various strategies for aboriginal people’s survival; tried to define general patterns of Russo-aboriginal relations in Siberia. Contemporary researchers come to conclusion that Russian colonization had mostly negative impacts on the life of Siberian aborigines. Whereas in the past scholars used to attribute the disastrous situation in which the aboriginal population found itself to contradictory policies of central and local authorities (M. Raeff, T. Armstrong), modern researchers argue that the Government bore the primary responsibility for the inefficient policy towards the “inorodtsy”. Some researchers (A. Znamenski, J. Forsyth, E.-M. Stolberg) emphasize the aborigines’ active role in interactions with Russians.