Arctic urbanization as a Soviet global project on the example of Norilsk. 1935 - the first quarter of the XX century

Scientific article

doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2025-2-560–576

For citation

Gonina, N. V. (2025). Arctic urbanization as a Soviet global project on the example of Norilsk. 1935 - the first quarter of the XX century, Herald of an Archivist, № 2, pp. 560–576, doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2025-2-560–576

Gonina, N. V., Institute of History, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

Arctic urbanization as a Soviet global project on the example of Norilsk. 1935 - the first quarter of the XX century

Abstract

The article considers Soviet activities in the Arctic zone as a manifestation of the policy of globalism. The ideas on which the Soviet project as a whole was based were global in nature: world revolution, creation of a new man and society, transformation of nature, etc. One of such global projects was the inclusion of the Arctic space in economic processes, which was realized throughout the entire Soviet period of history. One of such global projects was the inclusion of the Arctic space in economic processes, which was realized throughout the entire Soviet period of history. Urban planning became an important element of the Arctic development. The source base of the article consists of documents from 3 archives - the Russian State Archive of Economics (RGAE), the State Archive of Krasnoyarsk Krai (GAKK) and the Norilsk City Archive, interviews collected by the author, as well as published memoirs of Norilsk residents. The sources used allow us to cover the topic on several levels - national, regional, local and personal. Norilsk is one of the 7 large Soviet Arctic cities. It started as a settlement at the combine, with a rather low level of amenities. However, the rejection of forced labor and the extreme conditions of the Polar region required the implementation of ideas that previously existed only in a propaganda format. Thanks to high salaries, measures to develop infrastructure and improve living comfort, the population of Norilsk was actively growing. Along with the population growth, the number of specialists in various fields was also increasing, contributing to the enrichment of the urban environment. When they left for the mainland, they did not break ties with Norilsk, forming a kind of diaspora that covered not only the USSR territory, but also a number of other countries. As a result, Norilsk outgrew its monofunctionality and became a full-fledged urban settlement with a developed environment and strong social ties, and a significant research base was developed on the methods of production, construction, and human adaptation to the conditions of the North. All this allowed Norilsk to become an important reference point in the process of Arctic exploration in the past, present and future. It was proved that people can live and work above the Arctic Circle, that it is possible to build cities and develop settlement systems. It was not possible to achieve complete city improvement and protection from the harsh climate, but successful solutions to a number of important issues were found. The experience of Soviet urbanization in the Arctic Circle, including Norilsk, is widely demanded in the world and is of great importance for the further development of high latitudes.

Keywords

Arctic, Norilsk, globalism, global history, urbanization, beautification, adaptation.

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About authors

Gonina Natalia V., PhD Historical Sciences, associate professor, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History, sector of agrarian and demographic history, senior researcher, Novosibirsk, Russia, +7-383-330-24-31, +7-913-983-07-79, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ORCID 0000-0002-6229-4767

Grant information

The results of the study were obtained within the framework of the state assignment “Socio-economic potential of the eastern regions of Russia in the twentieth - early twenty-first centuries: management strategies and practices, dynamics, geopolitical context” (FWZM-2024-0005).

The article was received in the editorial office on 18.8.2024, recommended for publication on 20.03.2025