Abstract: The article focuses on analyzing changes in social structure and community life in Tuong Binh Hiep lacquer craft village (Binh Duong province) under the impact of urbanization. This is one of the long-standing traditional craft villages in the Southeast region, famous for lacquer products with high artistic and cultural values. However, in recent decades, the rapid urbanization process has created great pressure on traditional production activities as well as the lives of local people. The main method used in this research includes a questionnaire survey (N = 297) of employees participating in production in 36 households in the craft village to clarify the analysis from observation or collection of available data. In addition, the article also uses the group discussion method with the participation of representatives of 14/36 operating lacquer enterprises. The aim of the study is to clarify the changes in production organization, social relations, lifestyles and community cultural values under the impact of urbanization. The results of the study indicate that urban expansion and economic pressure have led to significant changes in the labor structure and production organization in craft villages. Many traditional households have encountered difficulties in maintaining production activities due to increased costs, a shortage of young workers and competition from industrial products. A part of the population has changed their occupations to non-agricultural sectors such as trade, services or joined neighboring industrial zones. This has caused the number of lacquer production households to gradually decrease, weakening the inherent community cohesion of the craft village. The article concludes that although urbanization brings economic and infrastructure opportunities, it also poses great challenges to the preservation of traditional craft villages. To maintain cultural identity and promote sustainable development, there needs to be synchronous policies to support craft villagers to adapt to changes, while preserving the unique cultural values of Tuong Binh Hiep lacquer craft village in the context of increasingly strong urbanization.

Keywords: conservation, society, economy, urbanization, impact, craft village, community life, social structure, Change, modern Vietnam

Abstract: The subject of this research is the phenomenon of regional identity on the example of Volgograd Oblast. The goal of this work lies in a comprehensive analysis of Volgograd identity, aimed at revealing most significant patterns, trends and determinants characterizing its specificity. The author examines such aspects of the topic as the impact of migration, ethnic multiplicity, historical events, spatial-geographical position of Volgograd and the region upon the representation of regional identity. Special attention is given to the practical importance of regional identity for sustainable development of the territory and improvement of the quality of life. The following methods were applied in the course of this research: visual observation, search, collection and examination of local literature, analysis of the regional regulatory acts, monitoring and content analysis of the materials of Volgograd mass media, work in the local lore museums. The author gives definition to the concept of “regional identity” as a social and spatial-geographical phenomenon; as well as determines the key levels comprising its structure. The article is first to describe the factors impeding the formation of the firmly expressed and shared identity for the population of the region. It is concluded that the sociocultural, geographical, and historical specificities of Volgograd Oblast problematize the determination, description, and analysis of Volgograd identity.

Keywords: cultural landscape, multiethnic region, residents of Volgograd region, Volgograd, Volgograd region, humanitarian geography, regional identity, migration, social community, aspatial

Abstract: This article presents the results of studying Russian population of Barguzin Baikal region, examines its establishment, and evolution of relationships within the local groups in the early XX century. The role of sociopolitical changes in formation of the indigenous ethnic communities is demonstrated. The research leans on the archival and literary sources, and field materials of the author. The historical-geographical approach allows identifying the peculiarities of formation of population structure and ancestry within the Russian local communities of Barguzin Baikal region, confined to agricultural and farming areas. Research methodology considers the specificities of communication inside the local group, and presents the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of population. The author determines the factors of formation of ethnic groups, as well as socio-cultural development of the territory. The article also explores the role of migrations, natural conditions, and economic specificity of the new population settlements, successiveness, geographical and social mobility of the Russian population, demographic development in the localities of Barguzin Baikal region, reflected in the archival sources.

Keywords: areas of mastering, exiled, old-timers, surname fund, population, resettlement, peasants, russians, Barguzin region, cultural landscape