The marshrutka as a socio-cultural phenomenon of a Russian megacity

This article is a sociological analysis of the collective taxi (marshrutka). It is based on empirical research conducted in St. Petersburg, Russia, which involved participant observation, a documentary method of interpretation, informal interviews and dialogue analysis. The modern urban environment transforms the collective taxi from “just a vehicle” into a form of “fleeting community” with specific meanings, behavior rules and strategies of exclusion and inclusion. As a socio-cultural phenomenon, the marshrutka reflects the intertwining of Soviet and market cultural patterns, the intensity of ethnic problems and the symbiosis of traditional and popular culture. It is exactly the kind of vehicle that meets the needs of speed and mobility, and it became so important in modern megacities that it tends to cancel out the risks to life and health that arise from the frequency of accidents involving collective taxis.

► The report investigates cultural aspects of behavior on marshrutkas, a specific type of urban transport in Russia. ► The importance of rapid transportation transforms a life-threatening journey into a normal aspect of city life. ► It structures citizens' behavior and determines their shared socio-cultural patterns. ► Marshrutka reflects intertwining of Soviet and market cultural patterns. ► It also reflects the intensity of ethnic problems and symbiosis of traditional and popular culture.