Global and local factors of civilizational development in the Baikal region

The Baikal region serves as a fascinating case study for exploring ethno-confessional and cultural-civilizational issues. This region, which has historically been home to the Buryats and is now located in the modern Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk Oblast, and Zabaykalskiy Krai, represents a unique border between two local civilizations - Russia and China - where no clear center of influence exists. The authors argue that the geographical and cultural remoteness of the Baikal region from the centers of influence explains this circumstance. Although both Russia and China view the Baikal region as peripheral, it is territorially closer to China, which has led to a civilizational confrontation between the two states. This confrontation has not only been about territorial control but also about religion, subordination, legislative norms, and economics. The authors contend that the rich and unique experience of the Baikal region provides a conceptual framework for understanding the dialectics of global and local processes in the course of civilizational development. By examining the Baikal region, one can gain insights into how different civilizations interact and how their conflicts can be resolved.