Old Believers position in Vyatka region nowadays: the problem of existence in post-industrial age.


Irina Trushkova, Dr. history, professor, Vyatka State University
Kirov, Russia

Old Believers capasity for adaptation to modern political and social situation is well-known and is considered to be one of the most peculiar traits of their social experience. They preserved their traditional ideas of honour, moral and godliness at the complicated turn of times in 20th century, during militant atheism. They often draw attention to the problem of preservation of regional pecularities in the context of globalization. Ethnographic outfit to the Vyatka districts gives evidence both of ethnic and confessional pecularity of this region and of its great economic and cultural potential which is characteristic to Old Believers modern cultural experience. The author analyses Old Believers economic experience in the circumstances of industrial and post-industrial civilization and describes updating mechanisms of their spiritual experience in the contemporary culture.