Shaping youth morals: the impact of the urban environment in Eastern Siberian cities at the turn of the XXth century

Abstract

The article examines the influence of the urban environment in the administrative centers of Eastern Siberia – Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Chita, and Yakutsk – on the formation of beha-vioral norms and leisure practices among youth during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The author conceptualizes the urban environment as a complex socio-cultural phenomenon, encompassing not only infrastructure but also amenities, access to education, the moral climate, and safety. The analysis of a wide range of sources demonstrates that the development of socio-cultural infrastructure directly shaped the spectrum of leisure activities available to youth and, consequently, their behavioral models. The study reveals a sharp spatial and social heterogeneity within the urban environment: central districts offered educational and cultural opportunities (e.g., theaters, libraries, sports societies), whereas the outskirts were characterized by poor sanitation, crime, and marginalization. Access to organized leisure was limited by social and material status, which pushed young people from the lower strata towards deviant forms of behavior.