Globalization, Regional Change and the Territorial Cohesion of the Russian Federation

Award personnel

Prof. Michael Bradshaw

Objectives and impact

This research built on previous work on regional economic change in Russia and considered the following issues: the regional impacts of foreign trade and investment, regional economic performance and inequality, geographical dimensions of Russia’s demographic crisis, the geographical consequences of Russia’s resource abundance and the geography of Russia’s new economy. In sum, this research activity was concerned with the geographical dimensions of Russia’s resource-based economy and implications for domestic policy-making and on Russia’s place in the World. The empirical focus of this research was principally Siberia and the Russian Far East, but it linked to wider debates on globalization, sustainable development and energy security. This research also addresses a wider concern to develop a critical approach to resource geography (see Hayter, Barnes and Bradshaw 2003, below). This research extended an earlier ESRC project that examined resource-based development in the Russian Far East (see above). Research focused on the oil and gas projects being developed offshore of Sakhalin Island. The Sakhalin-2 project is one of the largest integrated oil and gas projects in the World and has provided a critical test case for foreign investment in Russia’s oil and gas industry. The research has examined the global Environmental NGO campaign against the Sakhalin-2 project and this has led to a consideration of issues relating to sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and the role of international financial institutions (see Bradshaw 2007 below). My Sakhalin research has also involved a collaborative project with Gavin Bridge (Manchester) and Andy Wood (Kentucky) that examined the geographies of knowledge in the oil and gas exploration industry (my component of the project was funded by the British Academy).