Postmodern Alternative to ‘Mainstream’ in Historical Science of the Urals in the 1990s–2000s

Abstract

This article discusses general trends in the development of the historical science of the Urals in the post-Soviet period. Features of the main fields of historical researches are characterized and the existence of such phenomenon as ‘retromania’ in the official historical science is explored. The article also examines the influence of the postmodern model of historical research on historians of the Urals and adherents of this model in theory, methodology and scientific issues. The article concludes that the postmodern model of historical research possesses every feature of scientific research. Despite some negative traits (such as relativism as related to certain methodological issues and overly free use of terminology), it provides benefits by expanding the arsenal of theoretical concepts and especially the methods of historical research available to a contemporary historian. Thanks to this expansion, new research issues has been explored, new problems have been raised, and new approaches to traditional historical problems have been enabled. There has been a significant expansion of the scientific research issues, completely new problems have been raised, and approaches to the study of traditional problems have changed.