THE SEARCH AFTER HISTORICAL SYNTHESIS

The basic intention of the authors of the reviewed publication was to get nearer to historical synthesis in understanding the complex interplay of geopolitical, socio-political and socio-cultural factors conditioning the content and the forms of political rapprochement and consequent incorporation of the region into Russian empire during the 16^th – 19^th centuries. In the work’s two parts this process is examined in accordance with the periodization suggested by the authors: 16^th – 18^th centuries – the stage of transition from asymmetric partnership to Russian domination in the macro-region; 1801-1864 – the stage of direct incorporation of the macro-region into the empires state frame. Caucasian war is interpreted as military-political dimension of the process of incorporation. Temporal and political boundaries of the war are limited by the initial and final pints of the process of irreversible changes in political and administrative status of territories, societies and peoples of the region resulting from armed struggle between Russian empire and local ethno-political formations. Military envelope of the process was to a large extent caused by civilizational distance between the sides of the conflict. Simultaneously it entailed deep restructuring of ethno-demographic and ethno-social composition, administrative and judicial system, cultural and ideological spheres of region’s life thus bringing closer imperial state and North Caucasus peoples to better mutual understanding. There are some propositions in the work, which aren’t fully consistent with the historical realities of the epoch: on the system of “vertical” hierarchy of societies in the region where the “lowers” always dominate the “uppers”; on early rooting of Islam in Daghestan; on 16^th century Tarki Shamhaldom while at that time it was really Gazi-Kumukh Shamhaldom: on the absence of state institutions in native ethno-social formations. Some elements of the proposed in the work periodization give rise to objections as well. But in general, suggested in the book conceptual chain – “accession-incorporation -legitimation-integration-synthesis” seems to be interesting. It reflects not as much stages as aspects, various “phase states” of Russia-North Caucasus relations, which are present in various degrees at the every stage of their development.

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