The History of the Russian Far East during the Late Imperial Period in the Works of English- and German-language Researchers

Abstract

The Russian Far East saw rapid development in the latter half of XIX – early XX centuries. The Eastern periphery of the Russian Empire attracted attention of foreign scientists. The objective of the present research was to analyze works published by American, British, and German researchers in the second half of XIX – early XXI centuries and devoted to the "late Imperial" history of the Russian Far East. Since the very first foreign publications on the history of accession of the Amur and Primorye regions, foreign studies focused not only on Russia’s foreign policy and military aspects of its eastward expansion but also on the geographical, demographic, social, and economic factors of the colonization. In the late XX century, Western publications featured mostly intercultural, inter-ethnic, and sociocultural problems, as well as ideological aspects of state policy and the changing image of the Russian Far East. English- and German-language scholars offered a great variety of concepts; however, two main trends stood out quite clearly. Most researchers emphasized the impact of the geopolitical context and the role of Russia’s expansionist policy, as the country fought for power in the Pacific Rim. However, some authors acknowledged Russia's objective necessity to strengthen its position on the Pacific coast, protect its Far Eastern territories, and develop their economy.