Representation of the russian Arctic in Arctic fora discourses

The article analyzes the rhetoric used to represent the Russian Arctic and its management-related problems during the Arctic fora of 2014 and 2015. The general context of the fora is described including main fora participants (speakers) and organizers as well as topics often raised and discussed. Considered are key discursive categories - fragility, security, and sustainable development - that make up a stereotypical picture of the region as a unique territory that requires special regulatory policies. The article's main focus is on people inhabiting the Arctic - their classification, designation, and characteristics. The social portrait of the Arctic consists of two contraposed groups of inhabitants - 'indigenous people' and 'human resources'. The 'indigenous' population constitutes a special group that needs a system of social preferences and state support programmes as it is numerically small and vulnerable. The Russian Arctic's 'human resources' group is spoken of as a universal 'labour legion' that guarantees the functioning and development of the Arctic industry, transport systems, mono-towns, and shelf development areas. The first group is associated with exotica and traditions (the continuity of culture) while the second group is thought of as a basic form of state presence in the Arctic -through the region's resources development. It is indicative that the permanent population of the Arctic is represented as a purely passive and dependent object subjected to state control. Using the discourse analysis method, the research identifies key discursive strategies and categories (lexemes, collocations, and entire motives) that form the rhetoric of the Artic fora.

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