Modern Irkutsk school of historical urban studies

The article examines the modern scientific school of historical urbanism that has developed in Irkutsk. There are several directions in historiography: the administrative function of cities, socio-economic development, primarily trade, urban self-government, and socio-political life. The main publications in this area are noted, including the collective monograph «Irkutsk in the panorama of centuries», the three-volume works of L.M. Dameshek «Favorites», a series of collections of articles «Cities of Siberia of the XVIII — early XX centuries», monographs by V.P. Shakherov. Although Irkutsk itself occupies a central position in the urban studies of Irkutsk historians, various aspects of the history of other cities in Eastern Siberia and, in general, the urbanization processes in this region are considered.