Identity and regional culture : the case of the Pomor people in Arkhangel’sk Region, Russia

Abstract

The thesis focuses on the identity of an unrecognized, small-numbered people in the northwestern part of Russia– the Pomor people (or Pomory). The thesis will examine the history of this group and how they came to be ‘fragmented’ from the main identity-forming process of the central Russian nation from the ninth to the 21st centuries. Using fieldwork materials, the thesis will present which identity markers are presented by Pomor activists today to support their claim for recognition. It will also analyze the main aspects of Russian national policies towards minority and indigenous groups. The thesis will examine why people in post-Soviet Russia are searching for a different type of identity structure that goes beyond citizenship. And how and why a fragmentation of identity occurs. The thesis further reflects on the difficulties and advantages of analyzing one’s own culture.