Center of Geopolitical Studies

National neighbourhood have a significant influence on the life of people living along the state borders. They shape human interactions across borders and border residents’ attitude towards neighbours. Many concepts like ‘neighbourhood’, ‘proximity’, ‘trust’, ‘(un)familiarity’, and ‘otherness’ are usually used to explain this processes in border studies. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the comparing of perceptions, life strategies and everyday life of borderland population depends on neighbouring policy, border regime and neighbourship. Here we focus on different Russian borders with Ukraine (the new contested border in Crimea), Kazakhstan (the EAEU`s internal border), and China (old international and contact border) using different sources of information, including expert interviews as well as field observations and focus groups conducted with locals. We find that people differentiate between the neighbors they know and the neighbouring state they do not trust. Sig...

This article examines how the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and the sharp deterioration of official relations between Russia and Ukraine have affected the environment and everyday life of the population of the border towns of the Rostov (Gukovo, Donetsk, Matveyev Kurgan) and Belgorod (Graivoron, Shebekino) regions of the Russian Federation. Based on a series of in-depth interviews with local residents and representatives of municipal authorities, our article studies the dynamics of cross-border practices after 2014, as well as people’s attitudes toward the border, the border regime, neighbors, and neighboring states. Our research shows that a radical change in cross-border practices and (formerly good) neighborly relations occurred, which contributed to the peripheralization of small border towns and complicated communication. Such changes have transformed the border from being simply a symbolic line on a map, separating the territories of the two states, into an actual border that is perceived and felt in everyday life. In the localities we analyzed, we found transformations of what had once been an integrated border area into coexisting yet independent sections of borderland. However, these processes took place for different reasons: in the Belgorod region, it was the tightening of the border regime and tensions in Russian-Ukrainian relations; in the Rostov region, it was refugees, the unrecognized status of the LPR and DPR, and fear of war.

В статье представлены результаты историко-географических исследований Карпато-Днестровского региона, сфокусированных на проблемах эволюции административно-территориального устройства Молдавии. Особенно подробно рассматриваются факторы формирования административно-территориальных единиц Молдавии в период становления государства (демографические процессы, возникновение городов, развитие торговли, военное и культовое строительство).

Приложение (Иллюстрации в цвете - карты, картосхемы, графики) к статье: Герцен А.А. Административно-территориальное деление Молдавии в контексте историко-географических исследований Карпато-Днестровья // Известия Российской академии наук. Серия географическая. – М., 2010. № 2.

В результате проведённой географической экспертизы понятийной базы административно-территориального деления (АТД) определены основные понятия и термины, используемые в географии АТД, уточнены некоторые теоретические положения, предложена классификация политических регионов, разработана методика географических исследований АТД.

Герцен А.А. Историко-географические области Молдавии (карта на двух языках: молдавском и русском). Изд. 3 // Герцен А.А. Туристская карта Молдавии на трёх языках: молдавском, русском и английском, Harta turistica a Moldovei in trei limbi: moldoveneasca, rusa si engleza, editia a doua corectata si modificata / Институт геодезии и кадастра Республики Молдова (INGEOCAD), Visin Tur. Консультанты: Постолаки Е.А., Бэлтяну И.Н., Щипакина О.Ю., Стати В.Н.. Кишинёв, 2007. (2-е издание, дополненное).

Рассмотрены политико-географические проблемы формирования современных границ Молдавии (1940 г.). Приводятся уникальные политико-административные карты Карпато-Днестровского региона (Северо-Западного Причерноморья) в соответствующий период. На основе анализа архивных данных впервые представлены картографические изображения вариантов проведения государственной границы МССР.

Herzen A.A. Changes of the administrative and territorial division of Moldavia in post-Soviet period and problems of reintegration / International Geographical Union Regional Conference: Changes, Challenges, Responsibilities. – Kraków, Poland, 18-22 August 2014.

Herzen A.A Natural and cultural heritage as one of the most important geographical phenomena // Revista de Etnografie, № 1. – Chisinau, Institutul de Arheologie si Etnografie ASM, 2005.

The problem of the heritage has been considered of the world-wide level for over 30 years. The sources of information about the heritage can be the data collecting at place and the specialized literature. The systematization of the data is based on 3 scientific principles: genetic, geographic and hierarchic, after which the sights are classified. The first principle studies the objects by their origin and follows the branch aspect in science. One should differ natural (geomorphologic, aquatic, biologic formations, regions, species of plants and animals, phenomena), cultural (transformed spaces and constructions: archeological, historic, fortification, religious, civic, industrial, roads and squares, localities and agricultural areas; objects: domestic or religious accessories, transport means, coins, books, works of art, musical compositions, inventions) and complex sights. Protection of popular art (folklore, manufactures, traditions and customs) is of a big importance. Geographical principal unites the objects situated relatively close and permit using complex aspect, estimate tourist potential of the regions. Hierarchically the sights are divided into 4 levels of the local, regional, national and international importance. It’s necessary to create a national register and scientific heritage centre. Heritage faces with some objective and transitional problems, which could be overcame by means of tense collaboration between the specialists and authorities.

Herzen A.A. Series of maps: “Formation of Moldavian Urban Network”, „Moldavian Urban Network, 1991”, “Moldavian Urban Network, 2001”, “Sustainable Urban Development Supporting Framework of Moldova”  // Concept of Sustainable Urban Development of the Republic of Moldova. UNDP Project "Mesmerizing Moldova". Chisinau: CISR, 2004.