Topical problems of studying Russian America in modern russian historical literature

The article is devoted to the researching modern Russian historiography on problems associated with variated fields of activities of Russian-American Company in 18^th- 19^th centuries. The authors highlighted the changes that have taken place in the development of the topic, summed up the results of the study of topical problems in this area. The main directions of the study were systematized, leading specialists and spheres of their scientific interests were noted. During the modern period of study of Russian America there were changes in the methodology of historical research, in the structural and organizational component of the topic, the problem of research expanded. There has been an expansion of the range of issues studied, and domestic researchers have moved to study a number of highly specialized areas. The Russian historiography was supplemented by historical and ethnographic works on the history of Russian America and works on missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the region. Scientists analyzed the problems of cultural development of the peoples of Alaska during the period of Russian colonization. Problems of functioning of RAC, missionary activity in the Pacific region, trade development of the region by Russian merchants are studied. Issues related to the cultural heritage of Russian America, relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and RAC, activities of N.A. Shelikhova are being worked out. Attention is paid to the problems of the region’s economy. A separate area of research is the financial and economic activities of RAC. One relatively new topic relates to the study of shipbuilding and seaworthing in the North Pacific. There is an interest in the ships of Russian expeditions, in the issues of their reconstruction. In historiography, the shipbuilding and maritime components of the RAC activity are actively covered, and interest in the vessels of the Okhotskaya flotilla is stable. Domestic historical science records an increase in interest in military history, including the history of Russian America. The military aspect of Russia’s actions in the region, the history of Russian -Tlinkite armed conflicts, the topic of Russia’s military presence in North America are studied. The contribution of researchers to the preparation of documentary collections on Russian expeditions in the Pacific Ocean is noted. In the 1990s-2010s numerous conferences were held, which show the expansion of the geography of research. The article analyses the materials published on the basis of the results of their work. According of the results of work, in modern Russian historical science is fixing growth of scientific publications number, covering a set of problems associated with Russian’s activities at North Pacific and Alaska. In 21th century was expanded the source base of research and historiographic analysis, volume of scientific literature used in studying, widening of the topics and issues of research spectrum.

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