Leading approaches and frameworks in studying colonization processes in foreign historiography of Siberia

This article synthesizes leading approaches in Siberian studies with a specific ethnographic focus on the indigenous people. The author highlights the growing utility and universality of modern research programs applied to Siberian studies, which incorporate approaches such as new social history, cultural history, and historical structural anthropology. These methodologies are crucial for reconstructing the broad social, economic, legal, and cultural contexts of Siberian colonization and the adaptation processes of local historical communities, shifting the analytical focus from formal historical sources to the everyday lives of historical actors. The study is based on Sibirica Journal - a remarkable source of research papers provided by a wide category of scientists and experts interested in Siberian studies. Among the materials centered around Siberian colonization and Siberian exile there are the works of D. Collins, A. Gentes, G. Bourlakov, whose studies have been conducted consistently with new social history, gender history and etc. These modern methods and approaches helped them to come up with some new ideas and conclusions about the consequences of colonization and exile for further historical development of Russia. The author also selected some articles (written by A. Leete, B. G. Purzycki, D. Koester and L. Niglas) demonstrating the changes that indigenous Siberian people experienced under the influence of colonization process. These articles contain valuable ethnographic material collected during the fieldwork and show numerous examples of the adaptation techniques borrowed by the local historical communities. In general, this research demonstrates how modern interdisciplinary approaches, by focusing on individual narratives and community resilience, contribute significantly to understanding the complex interplay of colonization, cultural adaptation, and the enduring human connection to heritage in Siberia. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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