Scientific organizations in 1920-1930s and their role in ethnographic study of the north of Siberia

The article talks about history, organization and work of soviet scientific institutions in 1920 - 30s on territory of the north of Siberia. It also touches upon the problems of their cooperation with new soviet state organizations which studied the northern outlying districts. This issue has studied not enough yet. There are only some works which covered activity of Academy of Science, Polar Commission, Russian Geographical Society and its Siberian detachments (A. S. Vdovin, A. Dmitriev, V. D. Yesakov, L. Yu. Kitova, O. A. Krasnikova and others). Some moments are also taken up in monographs of Russian and foreign historians such as J. Cadiot, М. Mogilner, Yu. Slyozkin, T. D. Solovey and others. Nevertheless general picture of work of scientific organization and state institution which studied the northern outlying districts has not been offered. The issue is topical too because of lately increased interest in humanitarian history including ethnographical one especially for soviet period. Object of this research is central and local scientific institutions investigated the northern Siberia in 1920 - 1930s and subject is their scientific and expeditionary activity and also their history and organization. The article is based on wide range both published and unpublished materials of museums and archives of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk. It covers research activity of such organization as Academy of Science, Commission of Study Natural Productive Forces and Natural Resources and its northern detachment, Commission of Study Tribal Structure of Population, Permanent Polar Commission, Commission of Practical Use of Russian North Resources, later the latter was renamed in Northern Scientific and Producers' Expedition of Supreme Soviet of the National Economy. Author also reviews activity of State Russian Geographical Society, its Middle Siberian detachment and Committee of the North created in 1920; activity of Society of study of Ural, Siberia and Far East (including its Detachment of Study of Human and Way of life), Novosibirsk Society of Study of Siberia and some another institutions. Partly the article talks about their expeditionary and publishing activity. One of the main conclusions is interest of both central and local institutions and organizations in the north of Siberia was conditioned not so much scientific issues as economical and political problems. Thus at the turn of 1920 - 30s ethnographical researches became one of elements of realizations of soviet national policy.

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