Interacting With Compatriots Abroad: The Experience of Saint-Petersburg and Practices Improvement

Abstract

Interacting with foreign diaspora is a relatively new element of Russian foreign policy. Improving the legal framework and development tools in the field of interaction of the executive authority of Russian Federation with compatriots abroad has allowed the Russian regions including St. Petersburg to connect to this work, supporting the interest of compatriots to their historic homeland through the study of the Russian language, Russian culture, traditions, preservation of cultural heritage of the Russian diaspora. The theoretical basis has allowed to develop a methodological basis of the study, including the chronological method, the network method to determine the Russian world as a single transnational essence, and forecasting method. Proposals to improve the organization of St. Petersburg executive authorities, including - a recommendation to return the practice of a unified system of interested agencies in the form of programs of St. Petersburg Government “Compatriots”. Implementation of the proposals may help the efficiency of St. Petersburg executive authority with compatriots abroad, expand the foreign economic relations, actively forming a positive image of St. Petersburg and Russia in the countries of the diaspora.