Constructing Karelia: Strategies for Representing the Region in Historical, Official and Everyday Discourse

Abstract

The article identifies and analyzes the main narratives and discursive practices that form the concept of the Republic of Karelia. Based mainly on the method of discourse analysis of textual materials, the authors address historical, official, and everyday discourses. The article introduces a cross-disciplinary approach that allows combining the tools of historiographic, political and sociological analysis. The elements of continuity and novelty in the formation of the basic narrative of Karelian history are analyzed to identify specific features of the historical discourse. Official materials, as well as speeches by the leaders of the region during the celebration of the Day of the Republic in 2000-2020, became sources for the analysis of the official discourse. Everyday discourse is scrutinized through the analysis of a series of semi-structured interviews with residents of the republic. The study of the interaction of various narratives makes it possible to identify representation strategies of the region in the public space. The authors assert that there are several strategies for representing Karelia, the combination of which largely depends on the political context and the position of the official authorities.