Factors Influencing Ethno-Social Structure Change in the Republic of Kalmykia

Abstract

Purpose: Due to the natural global migration processes intensifying formation of structural space of a certain territory and influencing some regional features, rapid changes in the socio-cultural space of the region as well as in its ethno-social structure take place. In this article we will consider some factors contributing to the changes in the ethno-social structure of the Republic of Kalmykia, specifically, interrelation between the urbanization process and educational strategies of the various ethnic groups living in the republic will be discussed. Methods: The methods of the structural functional analysis, statistical analysis, sociological quantitative method of survey have been used in the research. Results: The main factor causing massive migrations from rural areas to the city is of economic character. Usually the intensive growth of cities is preceded by crisis in the traditional system of agriculture and growth of rural unemployment. According to the All-Russian Census of 2010, we see that the Kalmyks, Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs and Koreans prevail among the city-dwellers. At the same time, such ethnic groups as Dargins, Avars, Chechens and Turks-Meskhetins are at the early stages of urbanization in Kalmykia. The number of urban population among them is insignificant and grows very slowly. The analysis of the statistical data reveals that almost the equal number of Kalmyks has higher, secondary professional or secondary general education. The highest percentage of the population with postgraduate education is observed among the Kalmyks. 31,7 % of Russians have secondary professional education - that is the biggest percentage of the whole population. The smallest percentage of people having higher education is among Avars, Dargins and Chechens residing in the Republic of Kalmykia. However, the tendency to active resettlement to the capital of the republic challenged by educational migration has been outlined among Dargins and Chechens recently. Discussion: The study of the migration processes in Kalmykia involving the use of the statistical data has exposed some interconnections between the social mobility of various ethnic groups and their educational strategies which in their turn influence on the ethno-social structure of the region