Center for Insular and Coastal Anthropology of the Asia-Pacific Region was established as a structural unit of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East on July 17, 2015. By chance, this event coincided with the unofficial day of Russian anthropologists – the anniversary of famous Russian ethnographer Nikolay Nikolayevich Miklukho-Maklay who devoted his life to studying the Papuans of New Guinea and other indigenous peoples of the “South Sea”.

The specific character of Vladivostok as a Russian city with considerable scientific potential by the Pacific Ocean has become an important factor for strengthening research efforts focused on the comparative study of history and culture of the insular communities of the Pacific Ocean.

The Center was created to stimulate fundamental and applied research in insular anthropology of the Asia-Pacific Region, to provide professional growth of young scientists and the development of interdisciplinary research.

The staff of the Center consists of five people: two anthropologists and three archaeologists. The Center has built a network of research contacts and scientific projects with different institutions of the Far East, the central part of Russia and foreign countries (for example, Pacific Geographical Institute, Far Eastern Marine Reserve, Russian State University for the Humanities, etc.). The subject of all researchers is an integrated study of insular and maritime adaptation, specific forms of material, intellectual culture and social organization of small-scale and medium-scale islands. The members of the Center regularly conduct field research of the archipelagoes of Peter the Great Bay, the Kuril Islands, the Commander Islands. Since 2016, the Center has organized interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research and practice seminars to analyze common factors and peculiarities of the long-term development of insular communities of the Pacific Ocean.

Staff

  • Yuriy V. Latushko – Cand. sc., Head of Center, Lead Researcher (Download PDF document Curriculum vitæ)
  • Evgenia A. Belaya – Cand. sc., Senior Research Fellow
  • Roman A. Gritskevich – Junior Research Fellow
  • Arina V. Levchenko – Junior Research Fellow
  • Nikita L. Svistov – Junior Research Fellow
  • Dmitry M. Pertsev – Junior Research Fellow
  • Anna I. Pankina – Junior Research Fellow

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