THE ROLE OF TRANS-BORDER MIGRATION IN THE FORMATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF ETHNIC-CONTACT ZONES (THE CASE OF THE RUSSIA-KAZAKHSTAN BORDER)

Abstract

The state border, as a rule, reflects the complex history of relations between the neighboring countries, which are based on a common cultural and political heritage. For centuries, on the territory of the Russian-Kazakh transborder region was being formed a single socio-economic, infrastructural, and ethnocultural space, which was divided by a political border at the end of the 20th century. This study aims to analyze the impact of migration processes in the Russian-Kazakh trans-border region on the transformation of the geospace of the neighboring states under the influence of historical, geographical, and other factors. The object of the present study are ethnic-contact zones (ECZs). Their formation reflects the general evolution of the ethnocultural space at various historical stages. The ethnocultural similarity between migrants and the autochthonous population is the result of the general complex ethnic structure of the population and intensive interethnic contacts during the 16th – 20th centuries. Thus, in the border areas on both sides of the border, traditional Kazakh culture was greatly transformed, it acquired a great similarity with Russian culture and underwent Westernization. Currently, the situation is changing toward the revival of culture and traditions of the Kazakh population in Kazakhstan. The problem for the population of the Russian border regions is that the culture and mentality of immigrants are becoming increasingly different. This situation complicates intercultural relations and requires a reasonable migration policy and cultural regional policy. Among the geographical consequences of migrations in the 21st century, in addition to the change in the ethnic composition, Kazakhization of the population of Kazakhstan, and the formation of new ECZs in Russia, there is observed a decrease in the population density in Kazakh regions bordering Russia. An analysis of statistical data for the period from 2013 to 2023 showed a decrease in the population of the border regions of Russia and Kazakhstan, with the exception of Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Atyrau, Aktobe and West Kazakhstan regions, and the Altai Republic. The study has discovered that migrant flows to Russia significantly exceed reverse ones. They are mainly intellectual elite and qualified personnel who leave Kazakhstan. In the structure of immigrants from Kazakhstan, a significant part is young people, who, in the overwhelming majority of cases, go to Russia to study and often do not return. However, an increase in the number of Kazakhstan’s citizens who do not know the Russian language slows down these processes. Border regions of Russia often serve as ‘transshipment bases’ for migrants who rush to more attractive areas.