In this paper are proposed the initial theoretical considerations of the study of geographies of the past of South-Western Siberia, which expected to be the one of the series of monographs on Historical Geography of Russia, edited by Russian Geographical Society. The starting point of this regional synthesis is the critical reconsideration of the hypothesis of dynamic evolution of the spatial social structures in the south-western part of Siberia in XV-XX cent. In the first part of this paper the main statements of the South-Western Siberia’s Hypothesis and possible directions of its criticism are discussing; in the second, using the experience of the standard regional projects, we are evaluating the necessity of interdisciplinary cooperation in this regional synthesis; in the third are demonstrating the some principal critical tools of this synthesis.

Статья описывает основные этапы хозяйственного и политического освоения и заселения Юго-Западной Сибири – историко-географического региона, охватывающего юго-запад Западносибирской равнины. Анализируются ландшафтный и торговый базис дорусских обществ региона, особенности распространения первых поколений русских, экономико-политические сдвиги 18 и 19 столетий, модернизационные трансформации 20 века и актуальная ситуация в регионе. Наряду с этапами освоения территории рассматриваются фазы циклического развития пространственной организации обществ Юго-Западной Сибири – сменяющих друг друга интеграции и дезинтеграции её северной и южной частей.

The paper is concerned with settlement, development, civilisation and creation of South Western Siberia – the region of Siberian people ancient dispersion, core land for Russian Siberia, and nowadays old province with rich heritage for research in historical geography. Author defines 12 stages of region’s spatial history including among others ‘natural factors of human dispersion prevailing’, ‘first Russians settling’, ‘metropolitan land for Russian Siberia’, ‘military disintegration of the region’, ‘re-integration of Steppe lands’, ‘agriculture and industrial development’, ‘soviet modernisation’ and ‘postsoviet transformation’.