Homemaking in the Russian-Speaking Diaspora: Material Culture, Language and Identity

This book explores the material culture of Russian-speaking migrants, investigating human-object relations from a multidisciplinary perspective. It draws on data from in-depth interviews and group discussions, photographs, social media, and participant observation to examine the experiences of Russian-speaking immigrants in various countries. The book highlights the complexity and ambivalence of home as a concept and phenomenon of social life, examining the discursive practices in which migrants frame, negotiate, and construct their homes. It also explores the stages of linguistic and cultural adaptation and the interdependence of materiality and emotions and materiality and language use by Russian-speaking immigrants.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Introduction:
The study of material culture has become increasingly important in understanding the experiences of migrants and their integration into new societies. This is particularly true for Russian-speaking migrants, who have been migrating to various countries around the world for many years. This collection of essays examines the material culture of Russian-speaking migrants from a multidisciplinary vantage point, drawing on theories tested in fields as diverse as anthropology, sociology, consumer and market research, sociolinguistics, and semiotics.

Objectives:
The primary objective of this collection is to investigate human-object relations from a multidisciplinary perspective, applying theories tested in fields as diverse as anthropology, sociology, consumer and market research, sociolinguistics, and semiotics. The collection also aims to draw on data from in-depth interviews and group discussions, photographs, social media, and participant observation to explore the experiences of Russian-speaking immigrants in a range of countries, including Australia, Finland, Greece, Japan, Israel, Turkey, Uruguay, and the US.

Methodology:
The collection brings together scholars specializing in Russian studies, linguistic and cultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, and ethnolinguistics. The essays in this collection examine the discursive practices in which migrants' homes are framed, negotiated, and constructed to reveal the complexity and ambivalence of home as a concept and as a phenomenon of social life. By examining migrants' stories about moving home, the book explores the stages of linguistic and cultural adaptation. It demonstrates that immigrants' homes are semiotic storehouses revealing their owners' past and present as well as aspirations for the future. The collection also presents the first multifaceted investigation of the interdependence of materiality and emotions and materiality and language use by Russian-speaking immigrants.

Results:
The essays in this collection provide a rich and nuanced understanding of the material culture of Russian-speaking migrants. They demonstrate that migrants' homes are not just physical spaces but also symbolic repositories of their cultural heritage and identity. The essays also explore the ways in which migrants use material objects to negotiate their identities and relationships with their hosts and other migrants. They show that material culture is not just a passive reflection of cultural values but is also a dynamic and active process of adaptation and transformation.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this collection of essays provides a valuable contribution to the study of material culture and migration. It demonstrates that material culture is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that cannot be understood in isolation from other aspects of social life. By examining the experiences of Russian-speaking immigrants in a range of countries, the collection sheds light on the ways in which material culture is shaped by migration, adaptation, and social interaction. It also highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research in understanding the experiences of migrants and their integration into new societies.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474494496