Cartography in Cyberethnography (Using the Example of the Indigenous Peoples of Russia)
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: With the advent of ethnographic knowledge in Russia, that is, studies of nationalities and ethnic groups inhabiting the territory of the country, maps began to be used to characterize the ethnic composition of Russian society. Reflecting on the role of the Internet in everyday communication, modern ethnographers complement traditional methods with so-called cyberethnography: the study of online communication within and between ethnic communities. The purpose of this article is to explore the possibilities of using cartography to visualize not the physical, but the virtual space of (interethnic) communication. The virtual ethnicity of the indigenous peoples of Russia has been selected as the object of mapping. By mapping the virtual space, we have tried to identify trends in the representation of the identity of indigenous peoples, as well as to identify the role of tradition and innovation in their ethnic culture. The article examines the virtual experience of three ethnic groups – Vods (Leningrad region), Besermyans (Republic of Udmurtia) and Nagaibaks (Chelyabinsk region). The combination of one of the oldest mapping technologies and a new method of cyberethnography makes it possible to take detailed account of ethnic interaction in the digital space. Like various camera angles in the cinema, with the help of cartographic research and database analysis, we observe – in an enlarged or remote way – the processes of dynamics and statics, activation and passivation in the network. This work is the first attempt to test the tools of GIS technologies for indigenous small peoples in the digital space, and subsequent studies have prospects for deepening and expanding, detailed study with the involvement of additional sources and materials. Social networks provide opportunities for visualized representation of ethnicity, and how to embrace, study and present it sometimes depends not only on specific tools, but also on the imagination of the researcher.
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4404444682