Educational activities of the Separate Caucasus Corps in the context of the policy of integrating the Caucasus into the common imperial space (first half of the 19th century)

The aim of the research is to reveal the essence and specificity of the educational activities of the Separate Caucasus Corps within the framework of Russian authorities’ efforts to integrate the Caucasus into the common imperial space. The paper examines the educational activities and policies of units and subdivisions of the Russian army stationed in the Caucasus. Educating representatives of the mountain peoples was considered by the Russian authorities as one of the instruments for spreading Russian power in the Caucasus region through the transmission of common imperial values. Concurrently, personnel were being trained for the army and the regional administration. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that military units, which acted as organizers of educational institutions, served as the primary subjects of educational activities. Educational activities are considered within the context of the relationship between Russian authorities and local peoples against the backdrop of the Caucasian War. As a result, it has been found that schools for the local population played a significant role in integrating the mountain peoples of the North Caucasus into Russian culture and education, contributing to the formation of the first generations of national intellectuals and strengthening mutual understanding between Russia and the Caucasus. Educational activities became one of the technologies not only for strengthening Russian power in the Caucasus region but also for integrating the region into the civilizational space of the Russian Empire.