Oil and Gas Production in the Russian Sector of the Caspian Sea: Public Opinion on Development Paths and Consequences

This article considers public opinion in the republic of Dagestan on the expansion of hydrocarbon production in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea. The article reports the findings of a survey (N = 956) conducted in 2010 in fourteen rural locations in the republic. Overall, respondents uniformly oppose the proposed expansion of offshore oil and gas production in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea, seeing little economic benefit from this development and expressing concern about the environmental consequences. These findings resonate with work in geography on resource peripheries and development alternatives available in these locations.