Yanitsky O.N. Russian Megalopolis: Processes of Divergence, Separation and Integration of its Agents. International Journal of Political Science (IJPS), 2018, Vol. 4, Issue 3, pp. 5-13.

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijps/v4-i3/2.pdf (дата обращения 10.09.2018)

Abstract

Drawing on the analysis of international theoretical literature, Russian media-content and my own long-term field researches (1975-2010) the article analyzes the processes of divergence, mutual isolation and integration of agents of contradictory transformations of Russian megalopolises under the impact of national and global factors. The major agents of these transformations are power structures, business, media, civil organizations and urban residents as such that pursue their particular interests. For the powers the megalopolises are the nests of their existence, for business they are an environment of their residence and gaining profit, for the media – an object for manipulation and propaganda of consumer way of life. Ordinary residents have very little means for making their life more comfortable, safe and ecologically-sound. As a result of activity and domination of power-business tandem an urban space is divided into isolated zones by the criterion of power and influence. The powers, business and activity of the rich is concentrated in central, historically most valuable areas of megalopolises while an ordinary people and migrants are resettled to  urban periphery. Nevertheless, their mutual interdependence in the frames of a restricted urban area allows me to consider any megalopolis as contradictory but highly-integrated sociobiotechnical system (hereafter the SBT-system). This integration is implemented by various metabolic processes irrespectively to the wills of the above agents. Therefore, the megalopolises are simultaneously the driving forces of global development and the most vulnerable sites of the nation-states. Nowadays the grassroots and other civil initiatives are one of the political agents aimed at making the megalopolises more comfortable, safe and ecologically-sound for all.

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