The position of women in the family in the Arctic and near-Arctic zones of Western Siberia in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century

this article is devoted to the study of women’s status in the families of indigenous peoples in the mid-19th – early 20th centuries on territories corresponding to today’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and two districts of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, namely Beloyarsky and Berezovsky. The relevance of this work lies in the growing social role of women and their activities in all spheres of social life. Today, with close attention being paid to the study of life in Arctic regions, to the influence of climatic conditions on health, and to demographic issues—including urgent social problems related to the threat of losing cultural identity and family values—the history of women’s status in the Arctic, as well as the family traditions and customs of particular peoples, arouses interest and requires further research. It has been revealed that the status of women in the family varied among different peoples in the Arctic and near-Arctic zones of Western Siberia in the mid-19th – early 20th centuries, being more or less subordinate depending on the group. In the concept of the state family policy of the Russian Federation, the family is regarded as the fundamental basis of Russian society. Strengthening it should become one of the main priorities for the country’s successful development, making it possible for Russian society to respond effectively to major challenges while taking into account the interactions between humans and nature, between people and technology, and among social institutions at the present stage of global development, including through methods of the humanities and social sciences. The results of this study can be applied in modern practice, including in the revision of marriage legislation, educational and outreach activities, and social enlightenment.

Arctic, Arctic zone, near-Arctic zone, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, women’s status in the family, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets, Selkups, Evenks, Komi-Zyrians