Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis

The international activities of governments at the subnational level have become widespread practice. Cooperation between local authorities, which began in Europe with the aim of promoting peace, international understanding, and reconciliation between peoples in the post-war period, has spread throu...

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Main Author: R. S. Mukhametov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MGIMO University Press 2020-12-01
Series:Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta
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Online Access:https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/2635
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author R. S. Mukhametov
author_facet R. S. Mukhametov
author_sort R. S. Mukhametov
collection DOAJ
description The international activities of governments at the subnational level have become widespread practice. Cooperation between local authorities, which began in Europe with the aim of promoting peace, international understanding, and reconciliation between peoples in the post-war period, has spread throughout the world over time. International cityto- city partnerships, also known as sister cities, have become an instrument for promoting economic development. The movement of sister cities is considered not only as a form of cross-border intermunicipal cooperation, but also as one of the aspects of paradiplomacy. One of the consequences of regionalization that swept post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s was the growth of foreign economic activity, international contacts of both Russian regions and cities. This is reflected in the signing of intermunicipal agreements. This research is aimed at determining the factors on which the international activity of Russian cities depends. The theoretical and methodological basis of the work was the concept of paradiplomacy in general and city diplomacy in particular. The author put forward several hypotheses in the framework of the approaches to high international activity of cities existing in the scientific literature. The database was a list of sister cities, including 150 Russian municipalities compiled by the International Association of Related Cities. Statistical calculations were performed by multiple linear regression. As a result of the study, it was found that a large number of sister cities are observed in Russian cities, which can be attributed to megacities and large cities. It was revealed that a high level of international activity of Russian cities is characteristic of municipalities located in border regions. It is shown that economic characteristics directly affect the number of contracts. The author came to the conclusion that the status of the administrative center of Russian regions positively affects on the number of sister cities. The article emphasizes the influence of the historical heritage of territories on the development of inter-municipal cultural cooperation. In conclusion, it is noted that the influence of demographic, geographical, economic, political, legal, and cultural-historical features of municipalities on the number of sister cities does not explain all cases. The author believes that the political factor has a certain explanatory power.
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spelling doaj-art-d8498360d9c74d2bbc09c4ca0a5bc4f82025-01-30T12:15:54ZengMGIMO University PressVestnik MGIMO-Universiteta2071-81602541-90992020-12-0113615317410.24833/2071-8160-2020-6-75-153-1742193Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical AnalysisR. S. Mukhametov0Ural Federal UniversityThe international activities of governments at the subnational level have become widespread practice. Cooperation between local authorities, which began in Europe with the aim of promoting peace, international understanding, and reconciliation between peoples in the post-war period, has spread throughout the world over time. International cityto- city partnerships, also known as sister cities, have become an instrument for promoting economic development. The movement of sister cities is considered not only as a form of cross-border intermunicipal cooperation, but also as one of the aspects of paradiplomacy. One of the consequences of regionalization that swept post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s was the growth of foreign economic activity, international contacts of both Russian regions and cities. This is reflected in the signing of intermunicipal agreements. This research is aimed at determining the factors on which the international activity of Russian cities depends. The theoretical and methodological basis of the work was the concept of paradiplomacy in general and city diplomacy in particular. The author put forward several hypotheses in the framework of the approaches to high international activity of cities existing in the scientific literature. The database was a list of sister cities, including 150 Russian municipalities compiled by the International Association of Related Cities. Statistical calculations were performed by multiple linear regression. As a result of the study, it was found that a large number of sister cities are observed in Russian cities, which can be attributed to megacities and large cities. It was revealed that a high level of international activity of Russian cities is characteristic of municipalities located in border regions. It is shown that economic characteristics directly affect the number of contracts. The author came to the conclusion that the status of the administrative center of Russian regions positively affects on the number of sister cities. The article emphasizes the influence of the historical heritage of territories on the development of inter-municipal cultural cooperation. In conclusion, it is noted that the influence of demographic, geographical, economic, political, legal, and cultural-historical features of municipalities on the number of sister cities does not explain all cases. The author believes that the political factor has a certain explanatory power.https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/2635foreign policyforeign economic activity of regionsparadiplomacycity diplomacysister citiestwin citiescross-border inter-municipal cooperation
spellingShingle R. S. Mukhametov
Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta
foreign policy
foreign economic activity of regions
paradiplomacy
city diplomacy
sister cities
twin cities
cross-border inter-municipal cooperation
title Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
title_full Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
title_fullStr Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
title_short Factors of International Activity of Russian Cities: The Results of the Empirical Analysis
title_sort factors of international activity of russian cities the results of the empirical analysis
topic foreign policy
foreign economic activity of regions
paradiplomacy
city diplomacy
sister cities
twin cities
cross-border inter-municipal cooperation
url https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/2635
work_keys_str_mv AT rsmukhametov factorsofinternationalactivityofrussiancitiestheresultsoftheempiricalanalysis