Gusakov T. Yu. Historical transformation and factors of the rural settlement sustainability in the Steppe Crimea // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 244-270.

EDN: VYWQST

Annotation

The article considers the historical transformation of the rural settlement patterns in the Steppe Crimea on the example of the Krasnogvardeysky district and identifies factors of the contemporary sustainability of rural settlements. Based on the historical-geographical analysis, archival materials, cartographic sources, census data and statistical information, the author describes the main stages in the development of the district’s settlement network from the late 18th century to the present, showing that the current settlement system was shaped by successive waves of colonization, agricultural development, administrative and territorial reforms, deportation of the peoples of Crimea in 1944, subsequent resettlement policies, and concentration of population in the central estates of collective and state farms. The settlement’s historical age is not an independent factor of its present-day demographic sustainability. The most sustainable rural settlements are those characterized by a favorable transport-geographical location, well-developed social infrastructure, central administrative and service functions. The study revealed increasing spatial polarization of the rural settlement system, which is manifested in the population concentration in major local centers, accompanied by the depopulation of small peripheral settlements. The author argues that the contemporary model of rural settlement in the Steppe Crimea is determined to a greater extent by the system of central places and transport connections established during the Soviet period than by the time of settlement foundation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of factors of the rural settlement sustainability in regions that underwent profound historical and demographic transformations. 

Keywords

Settlement geography, rural settlement, spatial development, settlement sustainability, settlement foundation period, historical transformation.  

About the author

Timur Y. Gusakov, Researcher, Center for Agrarian Studies, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571.
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Fadeeva O. P. Evolution of municipal governance in post-soviet Russia: A rural perspective  // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 219-243.

EDN: VQIYWF

Annotation

The new stage in the transformation of municipal governance — under the “public authority” system introduced by the latest amendments to the Russian Constitution — entails a significant shift in the interactions between various levels of government, business sector and population, which have evolved for decades. The transition to a single-tier municipal governance poses a major challenge for social-economic and everyday cultural practices in rural areas, where local self-government bodies have traditionally played a prominent role. Efforts to optimize the administrative-territorial structure by consolidating municipalities and standardizing interaction rules within the local self-government system are viewed with mixed reactions by regional and local officials and rural administration specialists. The author’s interviews during fieldwork in various Russian regions reveal a range of perspectives regarding the pros and cons of the latest stage of the municipal reform. According to some informants and the author, the potential costs and negative consequences of ongoing changes could be mitigated by flexible municipal governance models and new indicators for rural living standards, differentiated by demographic, economic, socio-cultural and geographical conditions. Monitoring public opinion and discussing findings at various stages of the reform could significantly facilitate administrative transformation and reduce potential risks.

Keywords

Local self-government, public authority, reform, two-tier, single-tier and mixed systems of municipal organization.  

About the author

Olga P. Fadeeva, PhD (Sociology), Head of the Department, Institute of Economics and Organization of Industrial Engineering, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Ac. Lavrentyev Prosp., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia. 
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Kuksin Ya.K., Barinshtein A. M., Aleksandrov E. A., Rachkov T. V.,  Krasnoperov M. V., Mayorov D. A. Serving both the village and the city: Marketplaces as a factor of transformation of trade and everyday life in small towns and rural areas in the Nizhny Novgorod Region // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 194-218.

EDN: VQIYWF

Annotation

The study aims at understanding the effects on trade and population of the largest marketplaces expansion into small towns and rural settlements in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. On the example of 47 settlements in 16 municipalities, the authors consider how pickup points transform trade and everyday life in rural areas using the methods of interview with marketplace employees, local residents and business representatives, spatial and statistical analysis. The article describes the geographical expansion of pickup point networks — from the pandemic period to the current stage of rural development. The authors emphasize the dual impact of digitalization: on one hand, it leads to the decline of traditional markets; on the other hand, it helps small grocery stores survive. The article pays particular attention to the adaptive strategies in opening pickup points: on the basis of grocery stores and post offices, for one’s needs or for one’s business logistics. The authors identify general effects of the marketplaces expansion: the weakening position of local offline non-food retail, expanded consumption opportunities and increased convenience for local residents, and a reduction in their consumer mobility. The study shows the link between settlement size, type and status and the variation in effects transforming both life and trade. The findings offer a new perspective on the interaction between online platforms, traditional retail and rural lifestyles, allowing for an assessment of how these processes influence space-time compression, related markets and the characteristics of place.

Keywords

Marketplaces, pickup points, transformation of lifestyle, transformation of trade, Nizhny Novgorod Region, rural areas, small towns.  

About the authors

Yaroslav K. Kuksin, Master’s Student, Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991.
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Anna M. Barinshtein, Student, Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology, HSE University. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028.
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Evgeny A. Aleksandrov, Master’s Student, Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991.
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Timofei V. Rachkov, Master’s Student, Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991.
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Maksim V. Krasnoperov, Student, Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991.
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Dmitry A. Mayorov, Master’s Student, Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991.
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Yarosh O. B., Kalkova N. N., Babak S. E. Promoting regional brands of the Republic of Crimea: Opportunities for developing the agro- industrial complex // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 171-193.

EDN: LLDWYR

Annotation

The authors argue that the potential for developing regional brands in the Republic of Crimea is significant, particularly in the context of agricultural development. Currently, the program supporting the agro-industrial complex and promoting local brands has stimulated active efforts to systematize, catalog and assess the market potential of regional brands. As new brands, specifically with geographical indications (GIs) and appellations of origin (AOs), are identified and registered, there is growing scholarly interest in analyzing consumer demand for local farm produce and in identifying factors that influence purchasing decisions and brand groups that hold the most promise for positioning the region’s products in external markets. The authors also assess the agricultural production potential for regional brands and territorial specialization of (peasant) farms in the Republic of Crimea. The study’s practical significance lies in its contribution to strategies for promoting regional brands based on a unified trademark to support local agricultural producers.

Keywords

Agro-industrial complex, Republic of Crimea, locally produced goods, regional brands, (peasant) farms.  

About the authors

Olga B. Yarosh, DSc (Economic), Professor, Department of Marketing, Trade and Customs; Chief Researcher, Laboratory of Neuromarketing and Behavioral Economics, Institute of Economics and Management, V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Ac. Vernadskogo Prosp., 4, Simferopol, Republic of Crimea, 295007, Russia.
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Natalia N. Kalkova, DSc (Economic), Associate Professor, Department of Marketing, Trade and Customs; Leading Researcher, Laboratory of Neuromarketing and Behavioral Economics, Institute of Economics and Management, V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Ac. Vernadskogo Prosp., 4, Simferopol, Republic of Crimea, 295007, Russia.
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Svetlana E. Babak, PhD Student, Department of Marketing, Trade and Customs; Researcher, Laboratory of Neuromarketing and Behavioral Economics, Institute of Economics and Management, V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Ac. Vernadskogo Prosp., 4, Simferopol, Republic of Crimea, 295007, Russia.
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Wegren S. Does Russia have a food safety crisis? // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 148-170.

EDN: JQVJJM

Annotation

Unsafe food is a global problem and occurs in every country to varying degrees. This article suggests a policy process framework to understand the food safety problem in Russia. At first glance Russia does not appear to have a food safety crisis because it is not similar to developing countries or China. Most of Russia’s food is safe for public consumption. And yet, the persistence of falsified and adulterated food, phony production facilities, and the scope of bad actor activity might be termed a crisis because these incidents continue to exist despite government efforts to eradicate those problems. In particular, the scope and persistence of bad actor activity have to be troubling considering the considerable legal, administrative, and manpower resources that have been invested in food safety. In short, it might be argued that Russia has a crisis because the regulatory state is not fulfilling policy goals. The purpose of this article is to work through the food safety crisis question in Russia. The applied policy process approach entails four steps: goal setting, policy design, allocation of resources, and implementation. The process-oriented framework reveals successes and shortcomings in Russia’s food safety policy. On the positive side, policy adjustments have led to a decline in food counterfeiting and falsification. At the same time, the bad actor problem persists. Shortcomings in each step of the policy process are identified and discussed. 

Keywords

Food security, food insecurity, regulatory state, agricultural production, food safety, policy process.  

About the author

Stephen Wegren, Distinguished University Professor, Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Southern Methodist University, Dallas (USA). 3300 University Blvd., Carr-Collins Hall, Dallas, TX 75275–0117.
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Mitrofanov S. V., Yanbykh R. G., Orlova N. V. Consumption patterns and economic accessibility of rational nutrition in the CIS: Identifying hidden vulnerability // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 115-147.

EDN: RSCTOS

Annotation

Traditional approaches to the food security assessment, based on aggregated indicators of production and calorie intake, often hide structural imbalances in diets and economic vulnerability of households. The study aims at identifying hidden forms of food vulnerability and providing a typology of the CIS countries based on consumption patterns and economic access to rational nutrition. The authors address the following tasks: (1) to analyze cross-country differences in the consumption of basic food products; (2) to assess economic factors affecting access to rational nutrition (income, share of food expenditure, purchasing power, poverty, inequality); (3) to develop a typology of countries. The study is based on the data of the Interstate Statistical Committee of the CIS for 2010–2022 on nine countries; the methodology combines statistical, comparative-geographical and cross-tabulation analysis (indicators of dietary diversity, share of food expenditure, quintile ratio, and deviations in the consumption of micronutrient-dense products). The authors argue that formal caloric sufficiency does not guarantee a balanced diet: in some countries, high energy value of the diet is achieved by bread and potatoes, while there is significant underconsumption of meat, milk and vegetables. Four types of hidden vulnerability were identified – from a persistent monotonous diet with a critically high share of food expenditure to “structural inertia”, combining excessive meat consumption with a deficit of vegetables. 36.8% of the region’s population (approximately 84 million people) live in countries with a high share of food expenditure (>40%) and low dietary diversity, which form a “zone of critical vulnerability” – even moderate economic shocks can increase micronutrient deficiencies. The authors emphasize the role of eggs as an affordable source of high-quality animal protein in countries with low consumption of meat and milk. The concept of hidden food vulnerability and the proposed typology provide an empirical basis for monitoring social consequences of economic reforms and coordinating policy measures within the EAEU and CIS.

Keywords

Food security, consumption patterns, economic accessibility, hidden vulnerability, rational nutrition, social differentiation, inequality, CIS.  

About the authors

Sergey V. Mitrofanov, PhD (Agriculture), Head of the Department of Economics of Innovation in Agriculture, Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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Renata G. Yanbykh, DSc (Economics), Head of the Department of Agrarian Policy, Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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Nadezhda V. Orlova, Head of the Institute of Agrarian Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics. Pokrovsky Bl., 11, Moscow, 109028, Russia.
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Shagaida N. I., Ternovsky D. S., Elanskaya A. A., Shishkina E. A. Regional differentiation of food security in Russia // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №3. P. 88-114.

EDN: QRIFDW

Annotation

The authors applied an integral index to assess regional food security. Unlike conventional methods using multiple self-sufficiency indicators, the proposed integral index consists of five functional blocks, emphasizing economic food accessibility as the core component. The weights of blocks and their respective indicators were validated through expert assessments. The study is based on the official statistical data and microdata from the Federal State Statistics Service’s Household Budget Surveys (20182023): according to the annual dynamics of the integral index, regions were divided into groups. The core of the leading group consists of the North Caucasus republics, southern regions, and Central Black-Earth Region — their position is determined not only by production volumes but also by the development of small-scale farming, which provides population with diverse and affordable food products. On the contrary, the lagging group (Northern and Far Eastern regions) is characterized by risks of physical unavailability and infrastructural isolation. The dynamic analysis of the index revealed a predominantly positive trend, with 42 regions showing an increase of more than 1 point. However, there is also growing regional polarization as the interregional gap between the highest- and lowest-ranking regions increased by 28%. The study identified dietary imbalance as an interregional phenomenon with few exceptions and no direct correlation with the region’s self-sufficiency or income. The authors argue that there is a need for a transition to differentiated territorial support mechanisms that take the unique vulnerability profiles of each region into account.

Keywords

Regional differentiation, food security, integral index, economic accessibility, balanced nutrition, agricultural exports, food system resilience.  

About the authors

Natalia I. Shagaida, DSc (Economics), Head of the Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Denis S. Ternovsky, DSc (Economics), Leading Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Alexandra A. Elanskaya, PhD (Geography), Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia.
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Ekaterina A. Shishkina, Researcher, Center for Agrifood Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Vernadskogo Prosp., 82, Moscow, 119571, Russia. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Vyugovskaya E. V., Malkova E. E. Access barriers to health care: A comparative analysis of Russia’s urban and rural areas // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №2. P. 191-207.

EDN: UHVRPS

Annotation

The article considers the subjective perception of healthcare accessibility in Russia, focusing on two key dimensions of inequality — type of settlement and age group, is based on the survey conducted in April 2025 as part of the annual monitoring “Social Position and Behavior of Population in Current Conditions” (N=1623, 18+, All-Russian sample, telephone survey) and supplemented with narratives from telephone interviews. The results show persistent territorial polarization: while 51% of residents in large cities (with population over 100,000) assess the quality of healthcare positively, only 40% do so in small towns and rural areas. In major urban centers, the primary access barrier is long wait, while in smaller settlements — a shortage of highly specialized specialists, geographic remoteness of medical institutions, and financial constraints associated with transportation costs. The authors pay special attention to the 55+ group with significantly lower estimates of healthcare quality compared to younger respondents (18–34-year-olds), which can be explained by the elders’ higher need for medical services and, as a result, more critical and frequent contact with the healthcare system. The most vulnerable group are residents of small settlements with family members in need of constant care: 62% negatively assess healthcare accessibility. Interview narratives confirm and illustrate these findings, highlighting such structural problems as staff shortage, logistical and financial difficulties for patients, especially those with limited mobility and the elderly.

Keywords

Accessibility of health care, territorial differences, rural health care, age groups, access barriers, shortage of specialists, remoteness of medical facilities, financial constraints.  

About the authors

Elena V. Vyugovskaya, Researcher, Field Research Laboratory, Center “Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting”, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Prechistenskaya Nab., 11, bldg. 1, Moscow, 119034, Russia.
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Evgeniya E. Malkova, Junior Researcher, Field Research Laboratory, Center “Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting”, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Prechistenskaya Nab., 11, bldg. 1, Moscow, 119034, Russia.
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Parilova V. D., Gavrilyeva T. N. Patterns of the traditional dishes consumption among rural population in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia): Zonal, ethnocultural and seasonal differences // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №2. P. 170-190.

EDN: QNTRHC

Annotation

The article provides a systematic quantitative description of the rural population’s diet in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) based on the household survey conducted in 2021–2023 in 18 rural settlements (N = 400). The authors focus on 40 traditional dishes, for which self-reports on regular and seasonal consumption were collected. The diet is considered in three dimensions: everyday consumption, regional differences (social-economic zones), and seasonality. The findings show a stable group of technologically simple dishes — meat soup, pancakes, jams and drinks made from local berries — that form common everyday consumption in all settlements. Regional differences are determined primarily by local subsistence practices: venison in Arctic and southern settlements, dairy and horse-meat dishes in central and western settlements, northern fish in Arctic villages of Russian old-settlers and Evenki. A particularly notable finding is the substantial gap between seasonal-peak and regular frequencies of consumption for several dishes (kumys — 43.5% in June vs 1–4% regularly; stroganina — 76.3% in December vs 2–31% regularly), which indicates a seasonally distinct regime of their consumption. A comparison of the observed seasonal structure with the classical periodization of the Yakut food practices by A. A. Savvin (based on the 1930s–1940s data) reveals substantial continuity of the four-phase calendrical rhythm despite the disappearance of initial material conditions that once made this rhythm necessary. 

Keywords

Sociology and anthropology of food, indigenous peoples of the North, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), traditional dishes, food seasonality, food systems.  

About the authors

Varvara D. Parilova, PhD Student, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University (Japan); Institute of Finances and Economics, North-Eastern Federal University. Belinskogo St., 58, Yakutsk, 677000, Russia.
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Tuyara N. Gavrilyeva, DSc (Economics), Chief Researcher, Head of the Department, Arctic Research Center of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Kurashova St., 22, Yakutsk, 677000, Russia.
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Alimdzhanov B. A. Cotton as a resource for (de)modernization and  a source of nationalism in Uzbekistan // The Russian Peasant Studies. 2026. V.11. №2. P. 155-169.

EDN: OQZTNS

Annotation

The article considers the role of cotton as a resource for modernization and de-modernization of social life in Uzbekistan from the late 1980s to the present day. The author argues that cotton was a key product in the colonial period, and its perception as a de-modernizing force changed from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s; that cotton has become an integral part of the Uzbek political ideology, and every type of Uzbek nationalism is based on the perception of cotton. The article presents the changing interpretations of cotton’s role in the Uzbek history as determined by cultural-political contexts, raising the following research questions: how cotton growing turned from a modernization project to a de-modernization project; how this transformation affected culture and worldview of the intellectual elite; how cotton once again become a source for modernization in independent Uzbekistan in the 2000s; why cotton has not become a de-colonial project of “national awakening”. The author refers to the works of S. N. Abashin on nationalism, describing Uzbek nationalism as situational and depending mainly on the historical context and interests of elites: cotton is perceived as part of de-modernization project in Uzbekistan and as a failed Soviet experiment; at the same time, the perception of cotton became a catalyst for nationalism of the “blame-the-Soviets” type, i.e., the Soviet modernization project is blamed for all the troubles and declared a “de-modernization” project. Uzbek nationalism of the 1980s was very different from that of the 2000s: the former emphasized the need to “fix” the Soviet system, while the latter was rather utopian due to its focus on modernization and perception of cotton as Other.

Keywords

Cotton, modernization, Uzbekistan, “nationalism of intellectuals”, S. N. Abashin, G. Balandier.  

About the author

Bakhtiyor A. Alimdzhanov, PhD (History), Senior Researcher, Institute of Anthropology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Mirzo Ulugbek St., 81, Tashkent, 100170, Uzbekistan.
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