The Role of Arctic Discourse in the Construction of a Northern Regional Identity
E.N. SHAROVA
Murmansk Arctic State University, Kapitan Egorov st., 15, Murmansk, 183038, Russia
Keywords: региональная идентичность, механизмы конструирования, имидж региона, Арктика, Мурманская область, Кольский Север, арктический дискурс, regional identity, constructing mechanisms, regional image, the Arctic, Murmansk Oblast, the Kola North, Arctic discourse
Abstract
The article deals with the problems of a regional identity of the Murmansk Oblast population, recorded with statistics and data from a sociological survey. It shows the motivation of alien population at settling the Kola North (the northern part of the Kola Peninsula). Theoretical and methodological foundations for research are based on the constructivist approach to the study of regional identity through such concepts as «image of a territory», «collective notions», and ((techniques for the representation of collective notions». Considering the example of Murmansk Oblast, we have analyzed processes and mechanisms involved in the construction of a regional identity, one of which is discourse as a «social dialogue», a communicative practice of social reality production. The so-called Arctic discourse is one of mechanisms for the construction of the image of Murmansk Oblast, for the revival and articulation of the population's regional identity. Joining the region to a larger community, namely the Arctic zone, determining its own place in this area, and entering a relevant discourse are the current development scenarios.
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