Contemporary rural studies in Russia and China: Scientific overview

The paper explores key directions in the study of rural areas in Russia and China, highlighting both thematic intersections and differentiations, as well as identifying research gaps and promising avenues for future inquiry. A comprehensive content analysis was conducted using the eLibrary (RSCI) and Google Scholar databases. Keywords and thematic queries were selected to reflect current scholarly interests in the socio-economic development of rural regions in both countries. The analysis demonstrates a growing academic interest in socio-economic transformations of rural spaces, the implications of urbanization, and the dynamics of rural-to-urban migration. Considerable attention is also given to changes in traditional ways of life, the transformation of community relations, and alterations in social structure. Notably, Chinese research tends to frame rural areas as complementary to urban spaces, whereas the Russian scholarly tradition predominantly examines them as autonomous and distinct environments. Among the identified gaps are the limited attention to individual dimensions of rural development and to the formation of prestige associated with rural living. Insufficient coverage is given to processes such as migration flows, the return migration of former urban residents to rural regions, and strategies for cultivating a positive image of rural life. Overall, the findings underscore the multidimensional and interdisciplinary character of contemporary rural studies in Russia and China, as well as a heightened scholarly interest in issues of sustainable rural development.