Adaptation of Russian Emigrants in Harbin in 1917−1939 (Historical and Political Analysis)

Introduction. In the 20th century, migration processes became an important factor in world history, their causes are associated with specific political and socio-economic factors. The focus of the study is to identify the features of the connections between subnational entities of Russia and China in the first third of the 20th century in connection with the expansion of Russian emigration from the standpoint of historical and political sciences. The aim of the study is to characterize the creation and development of a socially, politically and nationally diverse Russian diaspora in Harbin in the context of historical-political processes, which determines the novelty. The main research questions involve the analysis of the socio-cultural activity of Russians in Harbin and the nature of relations between the Russian diaspora and the local Chinese population.
Materials and methods. The materials for the study were published works by Russian and Chinese scientists devoted to the situation of Russians in Harbin in 1917−1939. Historical and political science analysis allowed us to identify key moments of the peculiarities of the formation and development of the Russian diaspora in Harbin and to present a more socio-cultural characteristic of interethnic relations.
Results. The analysis of the social activity of Russian emigration in Harbin showed the great role of Russians in the socio-political and cultural life of the city. In general, the emerging contradictions were resolved, but there was a misunderstanding of the peculiarities of both the Russian and Chinese mentality. It should be noted that in Harbin the presence of a pre-revolutionary Russian colony, the presence of infrastructure and Russian institutions influenced the softer socio-cultural adaptation of Russian emigrants after 1917.
Discussion and Conclusion. The social and cultural adaptation of Russians in Harbin had a special character: on the one hand, their own cultural identity was preserved, on the other hand, new forms of interaction with the local environment were formed in the context of a difficult interethnic, economic and political situation. However, among Russian and Chinese researchers working on the study of the adaptation of Russian emigration in Harbin, there was no consensus. The results of the study will be useful for further study of emigration issues, relationships between large sub-ethnic groups in the context of studying demographic and migration processes in international relations and politics.