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OVERVIEW
Holding the Hinterlands - Dagestan and Bratsk
This
video program features two case studies on Russia: Dagestan;
Caucuses Disconnect? and Bratsk: The Legacy
of Central Planning.
Since
the dissolution of the vast Soviet Union, the various
nationalities within Russia have been confronted with
a choice between nationalist anarchy and peaceful cooperation
with the Russian core. Among the dry reaches of the
Caucasus Mountains lies the Republic of Dagestan, which
is composed of over thirty ethnic groups. In Dagestan:
Caucuses Disconnect?, we see how a complex tapestry
of religion, culture, history, and economy unifies the
people of this republic, who are Russian by rule but
not by background.
Updates
to this program include in-depth discussion of the forces
that held the Soviet Union together and then split the
Soviet Union apart, further background on Dagestan,
and recent events in the region, including the war in
Chechnya. Commentary is provided by Dr. Ronald Wixman.
Bratsk:
The Legacy of Central Planning visits a city
built by government decree. The Siberian city grew in
this remote location because, in the twentieth century,
Russia's new technologies were powered by the region's
rich resources. This exploitation of Siberia greatly
contributed to the Soviet central economy. Russia's
use of hydroelectric power and mineral reserves continues
to support Bratsk today.
Updated
material for this case study includes an update on the
situation in Bratsk since the breakup of the Soviet
Union.
The
contrast between the peoples of Dagestan and Bratsk
illustrates the variety of thought and behavior found
in Russians from places far apart yet under the same
federal rule. The diversity of their problems stems
in large part from their disparate locations, climates,
and histories -- their geography -- within this vast
country. Just as their past has been shaped by these
factors, the solutions that will occur to them and seem
suitable are strongly influenced by background, culture,
traditional beliefs, and environmental limitations.
Video
Key Words
Dagestan
- Centrifugal
vs. Centripetal Forces
- Islamic
Republic
- War
on Terrorism
- Diverse
Cultures and Physical Geography
Bratsk
- Physical
Geography and Natural Resources
- Centralized
Planning
- Soviet
Prestige
- Economic
Privatization
- Government
Subsidies
View Video
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