The resources of ethnicity in the urban identity of Northerners

This article examines the formation of urban identity among residents of northern cities, analyzing the complex interplay of social, spatial, and linguistic factors in rapidly changing urban environments. Focusing on language dynamics under conditions of accelerated urbanization, the study explores how indigenous languages interact with dominant linguistic systems in Arctic urban centers. The research employs sociolinguistic surveys and in-depth autobiographical narratives to analyze original fieldwork data collected in 2023-2024 in Yakutsk and Mirny (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)) and Anadyr (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug). Findings reveal urbanization’s dual nature as both a development catalyst and a challenge for northern indigenous communities, with assimilation processes threatening linguistic and cultural heritage while creating risks to ethnic identity preservation. The study demonstrates that linguistic comfort in major cities like Yakutsk correlates with socioeconomic factors, while in smaller centers like Anadyr and Mirny it is shaped by geographic conditions, social dynamics, and political-economic configurations. Notably, ethnocultural comfort manifests through demands for ethnicization of urban spaces, including integration of traditional elements in architecture and public events. In polyethnic cities like Mirny, key factors for ethno-linguistic comfort include compact urban morphology and opportunities for intercultural exchange. The research documents divergent attitudes toward interethnic interaction, underscoring the need for language policies that balance integration with preservation of ethnocultural diversity in transforming northern urban environments.