Possibilities of mapping the diffusion of ethnic space in the national-territorial formations of Russia

DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2025-3-31-582-594

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About the Author

Zoya A. Trifonova

Chuvash State University,
15, Moskovskiy pr-t, Cheboksary, Russia, 428015,
E-mail: zoyatrifonova@mail.ru

Abstract

The article presents an original approach in ethnogeography based on the application of T. Hagerstand’s theory of diffusion of innovations in the study of the process of settlement of peoples. This approach makes it possible to interpret ethnic settlement as ethnic diffusion or the diffusion of ethnic space. The heterogeneity of the ethnic Russian space is explored through the national-territorial formations that have been operating in the country as administrative units for almost a hundred years. The analysis of their ethnic structure is carried out. The paper proposes an index of ethnic concentration, which allows for a comparative analysis of dynamic changes in the settlement of titular peoples from 1926 to 2020, living in the country as a whole and in national-territorial entities. A comparison of the results of calculating the index of ethnic concentration of the titular peoples of the studied national republics and districts for 9 years of the population censuses allowed us to get an idea of the self-diffusion of the ethnocultural space. A general trend has been revealed for all the studied regions, which manifested itself in the local settlement of titular peoples in the areas of traditional residence. We interpret this process as a special type of diffusion. Based on the results of the assessments of the ethnic concentration index, the paper presents original maps for the years 1926 and 2020, which make it possible to compare the diffusion of ethnic space over time. In addition, a mechanism for self-diffusion of the ethnic space of the national-territorial formations of Russia is proposed and visualized on a digital map using the cartogram method and layering two scales reflecting differences in the arithmetic mean of ethnic concentration and changes in the index of ethnic concentration in dynamics from 1926 to 2020.

Keywords

index, ethnic concentration, map, types of diffusion, national-territorial formations, titular peoples

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For citation: Trifonova Z.A. Possibilities of mapping the diffusion of ethnic space in the national-territorial formations of Russia. InterCarto. InterGIS. Moscow: MSU, Faculty of Geography, 2025. V. 31. Part 3. P. 582–594. DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2025-3-31-582-594 (in Russian)