The Cities on the Border

the Ethno-cultural Diversity Test

Abstract

Cultural plurality is an intrinsic characteristics of border cities. Their specific location and the particular role that they played in the history of their own and neighbouring countries predetermine the existence of extensive transborder interrelations and mutual influence, confronting people with a choice of the cultural world to which they would like to belong. This situation is becoming even more complex because of globalization, migration processes and geopolitical shifts. The border cities are the first to respond to transformations and challenges generated by mass movements of people and proliferation of ethno-cultural diversity. The importance of their experience in cultural management and ability to deal with new challenges go far beyond a particular case. Nowadays, all the largest cities in the world are facing similar problems. These cities are looking for strategies and practices that motivate or compel their dwellers to integrate into the city community and to be aware of their cohesion with the rest of the country. In this paper, these problems are analyzed using the examples of the cities developed as a consequence of the territorial expansion of the Russian Empire (Tiflis and Harbin), and also of the cities located at the actual borders of the Russian Federation, many of which have got border city status as a result of the USSR breakdown and the “shrinkage” of the Russian space. From the analysis, the author concludes that it is not the political regime or governance that are the principal factors contributing to the intercultural consent. The intrinsic plurality of city communities and recognition of this fact by the citizens are of a larger significance. The “diversity test” consists in the ability of the authorities and the society to work out a compromise between the former and actual values and identities, between what is important for an individual as a member of its “own” circle or small community and as a citizen.