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Geographic Patterns of Desovietization of Toponymy in Russian Cities

Geographic Patterns of Desovietization of Toponymy in Russian Cities —Desovietization of urban toponymy is understood in the paper as a process of abandoning the unified “matrix of urbanonyms” that formed a common Soviet identity, and as an indicator of the transition of Russian society from unification of identity to its diversity. The paper proves that the practices of desovietization of the urban toponymy in Russia differ significantly, and such differences are associated with regional combinations of political orientations of the population and political orientations of the ruling elite. Poles of geographical electoral cleavages, types of electoral cultures (according to R.F. Turovsky) describe geographical differences in the processes of desovietization of toponymy. It is shown what influence the organizational and political features of regional and city administrations had on the features and course of desovietization during renaming periods. In addition to the general trend of transition from a single Soviet matrix of urbanonyms to regional diversification of toponymic approaches, there is a tendency toward “deideologization” and “regionalization” of toponymy through the consolidation of regional historical memory; for national republics, minimal deideologization, replaced by decolonization, accompanied by nationalization and the same regionalization of toponymy. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Regional Research of Russia Springer Journals

Geographic Patterns of Desovietization of Toponymy in Russian Cities

Aksenov, K. E.
Regional Research of Russia , Volume 11 (2) – Jul 13, 2021
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References (27)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2021. ISSN 2079-9705, Regional Research of Russia, 2021, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 220–229. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2021. Russian Text © The Author(s), 2020, published in Izvestiya Russkogo Geograficheskogo Obshchestva, 2020, Vol. 152, No. 4, pp. 3–18.
ISSN
2079-9705
eISSN
2079-9713
DOI
10.1134/s2079970521020015
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

—Desovietization of urban toponymy is understood in the paper as a process of abandoning the unified “matrix of urbanonyms” that formed a common Soviet identity, and as an indicator of the transition of Russian society from unification of identity to its diversity. The paper proves that the practices of desovietization of the urban toponymy in Russia differ significantly, and such differences are associated with regional combinations of political orientations of the population and political orientations of the ruling elite. Poles of geographical electoral cleavages, types of electoral cultures (according to R.F. Turovsky) describe geographical differences in the processes of desovietization of toponymy. It is shown what influence the organizational and political features of regional and city administrations had on the features and course of desovietization during renaming periods. In addition to the general trend of transition from a single Soviet matrix of urbanonyms to regional diversification of toponymic approaches, there is a tendency toward “deideologization” and “regionalization” of toponymy through the consolidation of regional historical memory; for national republics, minimal deideologization, replaced by decolonization, accompanied by nationalization and the same regionalization of toponymy.

Journal

Regional Research of Russia – Springer Journals

Published: Jul 13, 2021

Keywords: urban toponymy; desovietization; identity; post-Soviet transformation; geographical patterns; electoral cleavages; urban governance

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