The article discusses the concept of the cultural and historical situation of Russia called isolationism according to which Russia is thought to be a civilization country. There is an isolationist tendency in Slavophilia and Eurasianism. Objective circumstances enabling the development of isolationism in Russia have been analyzed. These factors include: the collapse of the USSR, increased importance of the state level and weakening the role of global structures, intensive development of a number of civilization states (particularly China, India, and Japan), the presence of underdeveloped territories in Russia rich in natural resources, growing economic importance of the oceans, deterioration of relations with countries of Western Europe and the USA, the absence of tendencies for gaining new allies, and the further alienation of former Russian allies. The author has come to a conclusion that isolationism as a concept of the cultural and historical situation of the country does not necessarily lead to a policy of isolationism meaning limitation of its ties with other countries.

Popov Petr Leonidovich, Candidate of Sciences (Philosophy), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Theoretical Geography, V. B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS, 1, Ulan-Batorskaya st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation, e-mail: plp@irigs.irk.ru 

Tcherenev Aleksei Anatol'yevich, Candidate of Sciences (Geography), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Geo-Resource Studies and Political Geography, V. B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS, 1, Ulan-Batorskaya st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation, e-mail: alcherenev@gmail.com 

Saraev Vladimir Grigor'yevich, Candidate of Sciences (Geography), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Economic Geography and Territorial Planning, V. B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS, 1, Ulan-Batorskaya st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation, e-mail: soclab@irigs.irk.ru

Popov P.L., Tcherenev A.A., Saraev V.G. On the Concept of Civilizational Isolation of Russia. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2020, vol. 33, pp. 17-24. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2020.33.17 (in Russian)

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