FEATURES AND DYNAMICS OF EVERYDAY LIFE OF URBAN POPULATION IN KARAKALPAKSTAN IN THE 1960S–1970’s

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the formation of cities and urban environment in Karakalpakstan during the 1960s–1970s. The main focus is on demographic dynamics, migration processes, industrial development, social infrastructure, and everyday life of the population. Given the region’s limited industrial potential and environmental changes, urbanization was differentiated: industrial centers (Nukus, Khodjeyli, Takhiatash) showed accelerated growth in population and infrastructure, while agricultural areas lagged behind. The methodological basis of the study includes the analysis of archival documents, population censuses, statistical collections, and publications on the region’s history. Historical-statistical and comparative-historical methods, as well as elements of social history and everyday life analysis, were employed. The results show that accelerated industrialization and the implementation of all-Union energy projects led to the concentration of population in industrial centers, stimulated migration from rural areas, the formation of new towns, and growth of small cities of republican significance. At the same time, structural imbalances in household services, housing construction, and social infrastructure affected the quality of everyday life. The study concludes that urbanization in Karakalpakstan during this period was industrial-migration in nature and closely linked to ecological, economic, and social factors. The findings allow for a deeper understanding of the specifics of urban environment formation in peripheral regions of the USSR and the ways the population adapted to rapid socio-economic changes.