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The article is devoted to the analysis of “Notes” handwritten by V.S. Khvostov, the first civil governor of Tomsk province, represented in 1806 to the Minister of Internal Affairs V.P. Kochubei. The document allowed judging about the most problematic areas of the newly formed Tomsk province in the early XIX century. A key problem formulated by Khvostov was the characteristics of the province northern regions: Turukhansk district and Narym. The author of the “Notes” emphasized important aspects that, in opinion, required a special attention, such as the management of these vast remote territories, supplying local people with food, deplorable state of northern towns, collecting tribute, life of Russian settlers. V.S. Khvostov had not only stated the existing problems but also proposed some measures to solve them. In particular, he believed that Narym should be removed to a more convenient place, and Turukhansk had to be abolished at all, attaching the territory under its jurisdiction to the Yeniseisk district. Such radical proposals were not implemented, however, the author’s view had influenced the state policy in this area in some ways - the series of governmental orders taken during a number of subsequent years were indirect evidences of it. There are some reasons to believe that V. Khvostov’s proposals were well known to M.M. Speransky, but the question of the impact of the Tomsk governor’s “Note” on the reforms of 1820s requires further investigation. Along with the issues considered in the paper V. Khvostov proposed initiatives to develop the region as well: establishing industry, arranging horse plants, development of sheep breeding, opening schools for Siberian native peoples, cessation of exile to Siberia, constructing channels to link Siberian rivers. As a whole the “Notes” text completes the previously known information about the development of Central Siberia northern areas, indicates the interest of both local and central authorities to the region. The appendix has a fragment of “Notes” concerning shifting Narym to a new location.

The article analyzes the contribution of foreign researchers in studying the Yenisei North; characterizes directions and tendencies in their studies. The presented data allow confirming the significant influence of foreign expeditions on the scientific study of the region within frameworks of different disciplines: geography, geology, botany, zoology, ornithology, meteorology, linguistics, ethnography, history, archeology, anthropology, paleontology, and others. Source study and cartographical analyses to identify specific personalities and their routes are carried out. N. Nordenskiold, J. Wiggins, H. Seebohm, A. Popham, J. Stadling, S. Patursson, G. Wright, F. Nansen, K. Donner, O. Olsen, M. Czaplicka, F. Dus, H. Findeisen are among the famous researchers connected with the North. The dependence of their works in work on political, economic, social and cultural development of Russia is traced. Foreign scientists and the results of their work have become a stimulus for the development of local science, prompted Russian scientists and scientific societies on a number of expeditions including the study of the Turukhansk region by Krasnoyarsk subdivision of the Russian Geographical Society. Works of foreigners in Siberia are characterized not only by collecting scientific information, but exporting a large number of collections, of natural and historical and cultural character, the most significant in terms of the region development. Further these collections have replenished the museums of England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, the United States of America and other countries. The authors conclude that the majority of foreign scientists established contacts with the local scientific community facilitating their study. Later, these links formed subsequent development of international scientific communication.

The ”Siberian Archaeography and Source Study” is the annual series publication of the scientific studies, collected articles, publications of new and insufficiently explored most valuable sources of the national history and the book culture. The publication was established towards the creation of the archaeological and source-study sector, it’s first volume was published in 1975, the 34th and 35th series were issued in 2016. The theme of compilations reflects a wide spectrum of problems, being studied by historians, philologists, folklorists, ethnographers, musicologists and art historians, it is particularly linked with the national history and the old Russian literature. The recovered and little-known historical documents, the monuments of hagiography and Old Believers’ creation of different genres, musicology, Siberian memoirs, ethnographic materials along with the reviews and descriptions of manuscripts and Siberian book collections are constantly published in the digests of series. The main feature of theme is its pioneering character. The most important and perspective topics were set by N.N. Pokrovsky, the responsible editor of series, for his students and staff: these are eschatological Old Believers views, forensic and investigatory records, materials from the G.F.Miller’s archives, problems of “folk theology” and more. The structure of collected volumes remains the same throughout the years of publication. The first section is provided with research works, the second - with publications of newfound essays and historical documents, the third section - with descriptions and reviews of Siberian handwritten and book collections. A wide range of historians and philologists, including metropolitan and foreign researches are always brought in the compilations of ”Siberian Archaeography and Source Study” series. For years (from 1975 to 2012) the main body of the editorial staff remained unchanged: the academician N.N. Pokrovsky (the responsible editor), the corresponding member E.K. Romodanovskaya (the responsible editor), the candidate of philological sciences L.V. Titova (the executive secretary), in recent years the editorial staff of series has been represented by the branch staff: the doctor of history A. H. Elert, the doctor of history N.D. Zolnikova, the doctor of history N.S Guryanova, the doctor of history N.P. Mathanova, the doctor of philology T.V. Panich, the candidate of philological sciences L.V. Titova (the executive secretary), I.A. Shipilov (the secretary).

The article objective is to determine the dynamic of representations and concepts of «revolutionary» in children’s weekly magazine «Zadushevnoe Slovo» in the early XX century. The methodological framework is set by 1) the concept of P. Bourdieu и M.P. Mokhnacheva on collective authorship of journal texts that is based on the fact that magazine publications are the result of co-creativity of the text authors, publishers, editors, censors and readers; 2) a method of critical discourse by T. van Dijk predetermined close attention not only to the content, but to those who produced and controlled the revolution discourse as well. Magazine «Zadushevnoe Slovo» (1876-1918) founded by M.O. Wolff was one of the most popular and favorite with children’s readership. The magazine aims remained practically unchanged throughout its existence history: to be a friend, interlocutor and leader of young readers; give them useful various reading, expand their knowledge. The editorial board was delighted to meet the manifesto on the 7th of October in 1905 calling it «the new era of Russian life». Young readers were informed about proclaimed freedom of conscience, religion, speech, assembly and association, inviolability of a person and the State Duma convocation. Since 1906 when the first issue was published the topics of the Russian parliament elections, population new political rights and freedoms had a priority for the magazine. Its editorial office in a simple, understandable language informed about the State Duma functions, substantiated its creation reasons, notified on estate, ethnic, professional composition of deputies of the first Russian parliament. However, after the manifesto of July 9, 1906 on the State Duma dissolution, «the revolutionary» theme disappears from the journal pages. «The new era of Russian freedom» was proclaimed on the magazine pages in early March 1917. As in 1905, the monarchy overthrow and the Provisional Government, declaring civil rights and freedoms were announced as epochal, progressive and natural. Metaphors of spring, light, family (all people are the native children of mother-country), revival to a new life of free Russia occurred in most April and May issues of 1917. Proclaiming the sacred idea of freedom «Zadushevnoe Slovo» created the pantheon of its heroes-martyrs. Along with Christ, the Decembrists and non-commissioned officer T. Kirpichnikov were recognized as the first freedom fighters. However, by autumn the time of hope and joyful excitement was replaced by the period of «terrible disasters, great misfortunes» and great disappointments. October 29, the magazine published an editorial article named «Homeland is dying», and in early 1918 the journal edition was ceased.

The article’s objective is to determine the specifics of constructing a negative image of economic management at various (local, regional, central) levels on pages of magazine “Krokodil” in 1953-1964. The presented negative images of a leader were combined in specific groups: 1) practices that are detrimental to the state; 2) the selfish use of official position; 3) the negative manifestations in relation to subordinates; 4) negative personal and professional characteristics. The analysis based on use of statistical methods allows concluding that the negative image of economic managers was more accentuated on activities detrimental to the state (mismanagement, bureaucracy, overstatement of reported numbers). The abusive practices were actively criticized. To a lesser extent a negative image of the leader was associated with personal deviant manifestations (incompetence, drunkenness, etc.) and negative management practices (rudeness, negligence). The negative image of managers “constructed” on “Krokodil” pages had more accented features, which adjustment was of great interest to for the official discourse. The negative image of a “manager” was a reflection of political situation trends in the “Khrushchev” period. The policy of glasnost declared after the 20th Congress provoked the criticism intensification, and its collapse in the late 1950s led to a lesser severity of managers’ criticism. Elements of negative images of business managers had features of the “Khrushchev” campaigns of 1950-60s (struggle against mismanagement and theft, campaign for vigilance). Active reforms in agricultural sector in 1950s led to the growing criticism of rural leadership. Throughout the period images of local economic managers, became more negative, as they were more “responsible” for economic costs and “Khrushchev” period deviations.

The clergy and officials were notable and significant social groups, played an important role in the empire and its management. They were connected together with complex and ambiguous relationships. The character of these relationships was influenced by the clergy’s ideas about officials and officials’ ideas about the clergy. The article examines the image of officials, formed in minds of the Siberian priests of the XIX century. In order to identify its main components, the memorial-epistolary works created by representatives of the clergy are used, as well as their reports and journalistic works, all these texts are united under the term «notes». An analysis of the texts showed that the important component of the image of a «good» official for the clergy was his / her devotion to the Orthodox faith, so the Catholic Poles were often presented in the most negative colors, while officials with liberal views were accused at best in «indifference» towards Orthodoxy, at worst - in nihilism. Direct opponents of Christianity were those people who were indulgent towards Buddhism, visited datsans, attended shamanistic rituals and invited shamans to towns for a demonstration. In the views of missionaries, «good» officials had to help the Orthodox mission and its activity, patronize christened non-Russians. Some hierarchs and ordinary priests highly valued honesty, conscientiousness, energy, experience and understanding of the needs of the region and the population. An important criterion was a respectful attitude of officials to the clergy. The notes contain images of officialdom in general, of its certain groups and particular officials - real people with their individual human qualities. Generalized images are less common, they were created mostly by heads of dioceses who were more educated, more inclined to journalism and possessed a literary gift. In missionaries’ notes one often can see the most negative ideas about the lower strata of officialdom. The notes of the Siberian priests created «personal and everyday image» that became the basis for a stereotype, the way to organize of the clergy’s collective memory and to form of its collective identity.

The article analyzes historians’ position in the scientific dispute about false urbanization in the history of Russia/USSR. Generalization of its results is determined by the significance of national historical urban studies development. The problem field of the article includes a study of negative interpretations (concepts of M.G. Meerovich, V.A. Isupov, A.S. Ivanov, I.N. Stas, M.N. Baldano), as well as the positive estimations of the Russian urbanization (theories of A.S. Senyavskii, S.S. Bukin, V.I. Isaev, A.Yu. Ilyin, O.V. Gorbachev). Research methodology of the article is based on principles of synthesis of the historiographic analysis and socio-cultural anthropology that contribute to understanding the historiography as a social scientific phenomenon to reproduce research activity of scientists with different self-identity, determined by their scientific schools and conceptual-theoretical orientation. The author comes to conclusion that historians unanimously interpret urbanization in Russia as unfinished process. However, the dispute essence lies in assessing results and understanding driving actors of urbanization. At the same time, the author believes that because of the relative youth of the urban history and rarity of generalizing works on urbanization in Soviet Russia, disparate opinions have not really attained a discussion form. Starting in 1990s, the dispute did not become a full-fledged scientific discussion in the form of conferences, seminars or series of scientific articles in particular journals, but rather took the form of correspondence exchange. A wide range of issues persists, that are rarely examined by historians in order to analyze urbanization processes. However it is important to study these issues for the sake of elaborating conceptual-theoretical models of urban development.

Siberian colonial discourse has recently been the subject of historians’ special attention, who tried to overstep the limits of positivistic parameters of understanding the regional history (conquest, annexation). The discourse is oriented to determining the place of eastern outskirts as a part of Russia, as well as conditions, circumstances, methods and results of incorporating a remote outskirt into the General Imperial construct. The discourse basics were formed in the mid XIX century and represented in the works by S.M. Solovyov and V.O. Klyuchevsky. Due to the efforts of the Siberian regionalism representatives, formation of the ideological platform of the Siberian colonial discourse and determination of its subject and participants were actualized in the second half of the XIX century. Problems of the colonial discourse in relation to the socio-cultural incorporation of Siberia into the Imperial construct are vividly represented in literature, in particular, in N.M. Yadrintsev’s feuilletons. The key topic of his feuilletons was connected with the limited knowledge of the central authorities about the eastern outskirts potential, with Siberia perception as a Russian economic colony ruled by the local officialdom in accordance with that status. The common idea of multi-thematic Siberian colonial discourse embedded in N.M. Yadrintsev’s feuilletons was to highlight the condition of the Siberian society. It was that matrix that included multi-ordinal issues of incorporating Siberia into Russia; migrants fate and future, issue of non-Russian population, prospects of regional cities development, state-administrative policy. N.M. Yadrintsev’s feuilleton contributed to spreading the important ideas of regionalism, popularizing them in the society. Besides, the genre rules for feuilleton such as associativity, emotional and figurative dominant allowed the author to untie his hands and made it possible to broaden the sphere of scientific interest and attract more actors, participants of the colonization process. Ultimately, all this has given full value and versatility for the Siberian colonial discourse of the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries.

Tomsk province transport infrastructure at the XX century included many river crossings which were located on important routes and supported by the provincial taxes. The owners of these ferries concluded a three-year contract with the county administration and received a fixed fee for servicing transportation. The article objective is to study the practice of carrying out contract auctions to maintain ferries. The author considers the mechanism of interaction of power structures at the provincial and district levels with contractors and keepers of river crossings on postal routes. Office materials of the provincial and district levels were used in research. Archival materials analysis made it possible to reveal the costs dynamics of maintaining crossings. The author pointed to a number of measures taken by the administration to conclude more profitable contracts to maintain ferry transports. The author concludes that contract tendering, as a rule, was not arranged according to a standard scheme. On the one hand, the official authorities tried to maintain the existing level of contract prices, thereby making them “profitable for Zemstvo cashbox”. On the other hand, potential contractors sought to increase them in various ways. It should be noted that the efforts of the latter sometimes paid off. The transportation costs permanent increase was exploded not only by self-interest of their keepers, but also by the real economic situation. The usual river crossings could be supported by provincial zemsky tax, if located on the postal tract. The mechanism for changing the facility status was very complicated and associated with formulating relevant documents, carrying out contract auctions, creating a material base. Under the conditions of limited provincial budget, the process of organizing a new zemsky crossing was rather difficult.

Analyzing the ideas of systematic organization of scientific knowledge whick thinkers and scientists advanced in the Modern times, the author comes to the conclusion that these ideas contributed to the development of systems knowledge in studying of complex objects and served as prerequisites for the formation of the system approach in the form of a theoretical concept named «the general system theory».