The history of Chelyabinsk as an element of its contemporary virtual media image (using the example of the Vkontakte social network)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify and analyze the main stories related to the history of Chelyabinsk that are present on the VKontakte social network and are used, or can be used, in shaping the city's contemporary virtual media image. The study found that visual materials that form the basis of the contemporary virtual media image and are related to the history of Chelyabinsk can primarily be found on social network pages associated with government agencies working in the cultural sphere; on the pages of public associations/virtual communities that include both professional and amateur historians; and on the pages of local history enthusiasts. It was found that materials submitted by some government agencies (primarily the United State Archives of the Chelyabinsk Region) continue to most actively utilize stories from the city's history related to the Great Patriotic War, preserving and modernizing the traditional «Soviet» image of the city as a significant contributor to the Victory over the enemy. At the same time, some government agencies, many public associations, and Chelyabinsk local historians prefer stories related to the city's everyday history in the 20th century, the social practices of ordinary citizens, and the development of culture.