Ethnic History and Longue Duree : Geography of Suicide and Electoral Patterns in Russia

The present work examines electoral and medical-demographic statistics in the European part of the Russia. The social, cultural and demographic differentiation of European Russia reveals the existence of the long historical frames which determine the specific regional characteristics transmitted across generations. The combinations typical of various indicators were regarded as manifestations of the integral indicator of social engagement. It is suggested that these frames are in fact very close to what Braudel had in mind introducing his concept of longue dure. The analysis demonstrates that the geographic distribution of social indices is marked by the influence of historical factor related to the specificity of ethnic composition. Regional manifestations of this factor are related to the ethnic map of the Eastern Europe, the formation of which, chronologically, dates back to the early medieval period. Comparative analysis of statistical data taken by regions is a method to elucidate the functioning of long historical frames. The present study demonstrates that stable regional variations in social indices can be viewed as specific markers of long historical structures.