Meridional Civilization Corridors of Siberia and their Role in the Integration and Socio-Cultural Development of the Peoples of Eurasia

Abstract

The authors develop their previously substantiated ideas about civilizational corridors, which have played and continue to play a crucial role in Russia’s existence as a Eurasian and global power. They base their analysis on a dialectical-synthetic model of the civilizational approach within its spatiotemporal dimension, where society is viewed as a process and product of the objective and subjective reflection (interpenetration) of cultures and local civilizations over time. The authors define civilizational corridors as spatially and temporally stable geographic, geopolitical, and transport-communication channels for the exchange of material and spiritual values, as well as state-administrative, economic, and sociocultural experience between various regional and local communities, peoples, and civilizations. They examine the possibility and prospects for the formation of two meridional transport corridors between the North and South of Eurasia through Russia, specifically through its Siberian macroregion. These include: 1) the “73rd Meridian” project, which envisions the creation of air cargo and passenger service between Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, with a central geopolitical and economic hub in Omsk; 2) a project to build an Altai — Himalayas transport and energy bridge across Russia, Kazakhstan, and/or Mongolia, China, and India. The authors argue that such corridors, in addition to their purely economic, transport, and energy purposes, address important geopolitical and civilizational challenges by strengthening cross-border sociocultural interactions between various specific communities, countries, and peoples. These interactions are based on shared values and mutually beneficial long-term strategic development priorities, and are referred to by the authors as transport and civilizational corridors. They are exceptionally significant for Siberia and its local communities. The authors substantiate the prospects of parallel promotion of both of these strategic transport and civilizational meridional projects, which are important for intra- and macro-regional Siberian development, international cooperation, strengthening Russia’s geopolitical position, as well as the integration of all of Eurasia on the principles of mutual benefit, good-neighborliness, and cultural dialogue.