Russian Scientific Conference with International Participation “Nomadic Peoples of South Russia: Historical Experience and Modernity” (March 16-19, 2016, Elista)

This article provides information about the Russian scientific conference with international participation “Nomadic peoples of the South of Russia: historical experience and the present”, which was held in Elista from 16 to 19 March, 2016. The conference was held at Kalmyk State University with the support of the Russian Humanitarian Foundation. Over 80 representatives of Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakhstan and Chinese universities as well as more than 20 employees of scientific institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences took part in this productive conference. For the first time at a high scientific level and with the participation of Russian and foreign scientists, we investigated the issues of socio-economic, administrative, political and cultural development of the nomadic peoples of the South of Russia and their neighbours, ethnic history and contemporary ethnic processes, as well as various aspects of the cultural and spiritual component in a multi-ethnic processes. The article analyzes the work of the plenary session, which included the reports of scientists from Kalmykia, Buryatia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Astrakhan, Stavropol and Kazakhstan (city of Atyrau). The content of these reports represents the characteristics of nomadic economy and the economic development of the region (S.V. Vinogradov, A.N. Komandzhaev), the social composition (D.S. Kidirniyazov), military cooperation of the peoples of Russia (K.N. Maksimov) historiographical issues (M.E. Kolesnikova), development of customary rights of nomadic peoples (A.U. Turdaliev, S.Zh. Dugarova) and ethno-cultural processes (Kh.B. Mamsirov). Speech by the rector of the Kalmyk State University B.K. Salaeva was devoted to the analysis of the status and prospects of development of higher education in the south of Russia. In this article we analyzed the work of three sections on the example of the most typical reports. Reports of the breakout sessions touched upon various issues that affected both domestic nomadic studies in the general and specific historical themes of socio-economic development of the nomadic peoples of the South of Russia and their neighbours. The authors note that during the section sessions participants conducted interesting discussion at a high level. The work of that conference was attended by graduate students and undergraduates, whose performances were also supported by scientists. The article concludes with the resolution of the final plenary session of the conference, which highlighted the importance and necessity of conducting such research activities, it emphasizes the importance of scientific research in the field of nomadic studies. The participants expressed the wish to create the permanent coordinating center for the study of history, ethnography and culture of the nomadic peoples of the South of Russia at Kalmyk State University.