Ethno-Cultural Clusters and Russian Multicultural Cities: The Case of the South Russian Agglomeration

Abstract

Russia has been treating cultural and ethno-cultural clusters as a resource of regional and urban development in the last ten to fifteen years. But these attempts are sporadic. Recent transformations are linked with a reconsideration of the role of the ethnic communities in the structure of multicultural cities. But in spite of the widespread European practice of establishing and making use of horizontal links between communities and local administration, Russian authorities opted for hierarchy and detailed urban planning. The case of the Rostov agglomeration demonstrates the belated development of ethno-cultural clusters, and of attempts to integrate the activities of various communities into local political space. This article explores these processes.

Keywords:

• ethno-cultural cluster
• agglomeration
• multicultural city
• Russia

Notes

¹ Statistics provided by the Russian National Centre for Public Opinion Investigation (WCIOM), available online at: http://wciom.ru/.

² General Ermolov is one of the heroes of the Great Caucasian war in the nineteenth century.

³ Strategic Plan of the Rostov-on-Don Development until 2025, accepted on 20 October 2009, online version is presented on the web-page of the Rostov Local Administration, available at: http://www.rostov-gorod.ru/.