SELF-DESCRIPTION OF URBAN IDENTITY IN CAPITAL CITIES OF REPUBLICS IN THE STRUCTURE OF RUSSIA: EXPERIENCE OF THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The article summarizes the results of the research project realized in 2020-2022 and devoted to studying the specificity of capital identity of administrative centers of republics in the structure of the Russian Federation and mechanisms of their formation. In the context of modern sociological approaches to the urban community and local identity, the author problematizes the concept of urban identity and on the basis of a comparative analysis of the mass social survey in Izhevsk and Saransk characterizes features concerning stable and “liquid” urban identity; factors of their formation are given as well. The basic components of social identity of capitals of two republics are revealed, the degree of capital city consistence identity is estimated. A comparative analysis of the given quantitative researches in Izhevsk and Saransk shows variability of the maintenance of various components of capital identity in republics and their parities. It is possible to conclude that Izhevsk is characterized by a high degree of the capital identity consistence based on harmonization of traditional industrial self-identification of the city and loyalty in relation to republic. At the level of cultural and symbolic representations, Izhevsk identity includes self-identification with objects, persons and events connected with the development of the defense industry, including its architectural heritage. At the level of social practices, the industrial character of institutional components of Izhevsk identity is expressed in the industrial identification («the capital of Russian armourers») and the definition of Udmurtia as an industrial region, in the assessment of the city as medium-developed in comparison with the nearest million cities. Unlike Izhevsk, which has preserved its pre-revolutionary industrial city identity and integrated into the new economy, Saransk as the administrative centre of the Republic of Mordovia shows an example of a trajectory of formation of social identity of the republican capital city mainly on the basis of an administrative resource and domination of the centre-peripheral component of capital identity at low estimation of the level of city development and self-identification as “province” in relation to larger regional centers.