ETHNICITY, MIGRATION, NATIONALISM

Racism in School Textbooks: Critical Analysis of Modern Russian Educational Discourse
(2004-2005)

The project aimed to discover new racist discourse in school textbooks as well as to re-evaluate the existing definition of "racism" (to bring it into line with modern Western ideas) by problematisating essentialistic thinking skills and the methods used to produce knowledge about ethnic, national, racial and other distinctions predominating in Russian social science. The critical analysis method had been used to show how modern educational discourse in Russia participates in the (re)production of prejudice and intolerance in society.
Researcher: Oksana Karpenko.
Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Ethnic Minorities in the Russian Militia
(2004)

Joint project with the Human Rights NGO "Citizens' Watch" (St. Petersburg).
Coordinator: Lubov Ejova (CISR).
The research problematises the position of the militia staff and those studying in Russian militia (police) academies who are considered to be ethnic minorities. How do their professional careers take shape? What kinds of problems arise in the process of their studies? What hinders their careers in the militia? What role does xenophobia play in the development of their careers?
Participants from CISR: Lubov Ejova, Boris Gladarev.
Supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Labour Migration of Women: A Transformation of Gender Contracts
(2003-2004)

The subject of the research was interdisciplinary gender studies, migration, and the informal economy (in particular ethnic and migrant business). The aim of the project was to explore the concept of labour migration of women. Specifically, the project analysed the participation of migrant women in the informal economy, the problems of gender solidarity/discrimination in the guest worker ("gastarbeiter") environment, the formation of transnational migrant communities, and the transformation of gender contracts. The objects of the research were women-guest-workers who came to St. Petersburg from post-Soviet environments and were engaged in retail trade or were self-employed at grocery and goods markets in St. Petersburg. Qualitative methodology, in particular interviews and participant observation in the environment of migrant women involved in trade on city markets, was used within the project.
Researcher: Olga Brednikova.
Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Promotion of Tolerance and Improving Interethnic Relations
(2003-2004)

Project of the German-Russian Exchange (DRA, St. Petersburg).
This programme aimed to improve interethnic relations by resisting the growing tendency toward ethnicisation of political discourse in Russia and by promoting a culture of tolerance. Seminars and workshops for NGOs' staff, teachers, journalists, lawyers and administrative/law enforcement bodies, etc. were held in conjunction with the project aimed at promoting civil society, the rule of law and human rights.
Participants from CISR: Alexander Osipov, Oksana Karpenko.
Supported by the EU TACIS Programme.

The Idea of National-Cultural Autonomy in Russia and Its Implementation
(2003-2004)

The project pursued two fundamental goals: to assess - in the sense of studying law-enforcement practices - the results of the enactment of the Federal law "On National-Cultural Autonomy" (1996), and to analyse the public discourse surrounding the concept of "national-cultural autonomy" (hereafter, NCA) in Russia and other countries. The research was aimed at exploring this term's meanings in different contexts, the pre-history of the Russian federal law "On National-Cultural Autonomy" and the implementation of this law and other relevant federal and regional legislation. The basic research methods were expert interviews and comparative legal study. The study demonstrated that NCA-related legislation has virtually no regulative functions in a legal sense, although various groups employ the concept for rhetorical purposes aimed at the symbolic construction of multi-ethnicity and at public representations of some official and non-governmental structures.
Researcher: Alexander Osipov.
Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Image of Germany and Germans in Russia
(2003)

Coordinator: Lubov Ejova.
Theљobject of theљresearch was to look at Russians' opinions on German society, German politics, and Germans in general, and to study their opinions on theљactivities of German institutions in St.љPetersburg. Basic research methods included focus groups and problem-oriented interviews.
Participants: Lubov Ejova, Larisa Sedova.
Supported by theљConsulate General of Germany in St.љPetersburg.

TheљRole of Regional Studies in theљDevelopment of Regional Consciousness and Civic Education (Taking Local Communities of Northwest Russia as anљExample)
(2003)

Coordinator: Boris Gladarev.
Theљproject aimed to examine how regional studies can influence theљidentity of school children in district centres of Northwest Russia. Special attention was paid to civic education problems and their connection to regional studies. Within theљproject, all agents involved in regional studies were interviewed and aљdiscursive analysis of textbooks was carried out.
Participants: Boris Gladarev, Oksana Karpenko, Elena Chikadze.
Supported by theљInternational Charitable D.S.љLikhachev Foundation (St.љPetersburg).

Hate Speech on the Russian-Language Internet
(2002-2004)

Project of the European University at St. Petersburg.
Coordinator: Philippe Tortchinski (European University at St. Petersburg).
Extremist resources in the Russian-language sector of the Internet have been researched by the Ethnic Studies program of the European University at St. Petersburg in cooperation with the company "Yandex" (Moscow) since 2001. More than a hundred permanent on-line resources were studied during 2002-2003 to reveal the discourse of their content: the main problems discussed by extremists, ways to settle these problems as well as extremists` manner of argumentation. The project extension in 2004 (Social Advertisement through the Internet as a Means of Overcoming Extremism and Xenophobia) was an attempt to work out an effective model of social advertisement to overcome hate speech in the Russian-language sector of the Internet. As a result of the first stage of research, a book was published (Hate Speech on the Russian-Language Internet: Research Materials on Texts of Hatred. European University at St. Petersburg, 2003).
Participants from CISR: Oksana Karpenko, Olessia Koltsova.
Supported by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation programme "Forming Frames of Tolerant Consciousness and Prevention of Extremism in the Russian Society (2001-2005)".

African Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in St.љPetersburg and theљRussian Northwest
(2002)

Coordinator: Lubov Ejova.
Anљanalysis of theљsocial situation of refugees from African countries living in St.љPetersburg and of theљpossibility of their integration into Russian society was carried out. Researchers have come up with recommendations for theљUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Participants: Sergej Damberg, Lubov Ejova.
Supported by theљUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Development of Methodology and theљOrganisational Mechanism of Content Monitoring of Mass Media Production
(2002)

Project of theљGlasnost Defence Foundation.
Coordinator: Alexei Simonov (Glasnost Defence Foundation).
Theљgoal of theљproject was to develop aљtechnique for monitoring intolerant texts in theљmass media. Theљdeveloped method is expected to be available for state bodies and public organisations. It contains aљnumber of quantitative and qualitative blocks, and was tested with theљparticipation of independent coders and with theљhelp of newspaper sampling in six regions of theљRussian Federation.
Participant from CISR: Olessia Koltsova.
Supported by theљMinistry of Education of theљRussian Federation.

Self-Presentation of Organisation in theљRussian Radical Nationalist Movement
(2001-2003)

Theљaim of this research project was to interpret self-presentations of theљlargest Russian radical nationalist organisations in terms of Pierre Bourdieu's theory. Ideologies and practices of theљextreme right groups were regarded as dramatic performances, legitimising their members' claims for redistribution of political power and/or advertising their individual strategies of social mobility. Theљresearch was conducted with participant observation, discursive analysis and event analysis methods.
Researcher: Mikhail Sokolov.
Supported by theљFord Foundation.

Problems of Children from Forced Migrants' Families in Russia. TheљCase of St.љPetersburg
(2001)

Joint project with theљSt.љPetersburg Early Intervention Institute.
Coordinator: Oleg Pachenkov (CISR).
Theљaim of theљresearch was to reveal and estimate theљproblems and needs of children of applicants for refugee status and illegal migrants from theљcountries of theљthird world. Practical recommendations for solving theљproblems of children were worked out and their efficiency was tested. One of theљmost important research problems was to find out theљmaterial and social resources within and outside theљcommunity of refugees and migrants. Research strategy was aimed at studying theљinstitutional context in which migrants find themselves (legislative base and theљpractices of application of legislation). Theљtraditional and adapted strategies and mechanisms of coping with situation, including theљshaping of formal (community) structures, theљfunctioning of informal social networks and groups of mutual aid etc. were considered.
Participants from CISR: Katerina Gerasimova, Oleg Pachenkov.
Supported by Radda Barnen (Sweden).

Sources of Formation and Peculiarities of Functioning Caucaisaphobia among Modern Russians
(2001)

This research aimed to reveal mechanisms of forming people's xenophobic attitudes towards representatives of ethnic groups, which are "Caucasians" or relating to theљCaucasus. Theљresearch aimed to particular patterns, or examples, of xenophobic attitudes in everyday life and theљspecific mechanisms of their proliferation by theљrepresentatives of different social groups in St.љPetersburg, Russia.
Researcher: Oleg Pachenkov.
Supported by theљIISS (Interregional Institutes of Social Sciences) program.

"Other Russians": Mobilized Mentality
(2000-2002)

Coordinator: Boris Firsov (European University at St.љPetersburg).
Theљproject focused on theљstudy of post-soviet mass migration of "Russians" or "other Russians", as they are often called, from former soviet republics, mainly from Central Asian republics, to Russia. Theљmethods of narrative interviewing and fragmentary participant observation were used. Special attention was paid to migration and further integration/adaptation strategies of migrants, to their economic strategies and practices during theљsoviet era, and to theљrole ascribed to "other Russians" in theљhistorical development of Central-Asian nationalism of theљ90's. As aљresult two collections of articles were published.
Participant from CISR: Sergej Damberg.
Supported by theљJohnљD. and CatherineљT. MacArthur Foundation.

TheљRadical Nationalistic Organisation's Construction of Its Image in theљMass Media
(2000-2001)

This research investigated theљmeans by which radical nationalists seek to broadcast their collective activities. Despite their negative relation to theљmass media, radical nationalists nevertheless manage to produce theљdesired effect on those parts of theљmedia audience who are ideologically close to them, while at theљsame time facilitating theљflow of resources into their organisations. Under examination are theљcultural models in use that permit theљmanipulation of opinion and conclusions among theљrepresentatives of mass media and their viewers and listeners.
Researcher: Mikhail Sokolov.
Supported by theљHeinrich Boell Foundation.

Right-Wing Extremism in Russia
(2000)

Theљanalysis of theљpublications in theљRussian press sources covering theљactivity of extremists' organisations (monitoring).
Researcher: Irina Ivleva.
Supported by theљCenter for Democratic Culture (Berlin).

Attitudes towards "Caucasians" in Russian Cities in theљContext of Xenophobia (Theљcase of St.љPetersburg)
(1999-2000)

Theљanalysis of formation, reproduction and realisation of xenophobic attitudes of theљpopulation towards theљrepresentatives of ethnic groups united by public opinion by ethnonim "Caucasians". Theљaims of theљresearch were: to reveal xenophobic attitudes of theљpopulation towards "Caucasians" in aљbig Russian city; to show how they are being formed and reproduced in daily life; to define/determine theљdegree and theљforms of their influence on theљgrowth of xenophobia and racism in theљcountry as aљwhole, and on theљemergence of discrimination practices at different levels of social life.
Researcher: Oleg Pachenkov.
Supported by theљHeinrich Boell Foundation.

Caucasians in aљRussian City: Problems of Discrimination of Ethnic Minorities
(1999-2000)

Theљresearch was focused on theљanalysis of discriminative practices towards immigrants from theљformer southern republics of theљUSSR (Transcaucasia, Northern Caucasus and Central Asia) in big Russian cities. Theљaims were as follows: to reveal and to show theљdiscriminative practices towards "Caucasians" as theљmost conflictive ethnic group in public opinion in today's Russia; to describe theљfactors of emerging xenophobia and racism and theљforms of their demonstration, to offer theљvariants of theљdecision of theљproblem.
Researcher: Oleg Pachenkov.
Supported by the RSS Program (Open Society Institute).

Estimation of Needs of Refuge Children in St.љPetersburg: Psychological and Social, Educational Aspects
(1999)

Coordinator: Katerina Gerasimova.
Theљproject was initiated by theљUNHCR Department at St.љPetersburg. As aљresult of theљresearch, theљrecommendations for further work of St.љPetersburg UNHCR Department with children from refugee families and asylum-seekers were worked out. Theљbasic methods of theљresearch: psychological testing, in-depth and expert interviewing, questioning of parents and teenagers of target group.
Participants from CISR: Olga Brednikova, Katerina Gerasimova, Olga Kalacheva.
Supported by theљUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Political Extremism in Russia
(1999)

Theљproject included theљanalysis of publications in theљRussian press devoted to theљactivity of extremist organisations. Theљcase study "National Bolsheviks Party in St.љPetersburg" was written based on theљresults of theљresearch. Research methods: open observation and interviewing.
Researcher: Aglaya Toporova.
Supported by theљCenter for Democratic Culture (Berlin).

"'Caucasians' Discourse": Mass Communication and Daily Life
(1998-2000)

Theљaim of theљproject was to select various discourses which in different ways participate in (re)production of ethnic prejudices. Aљsearch and aљdiscursive analysis of texts "about 'Caucasians'" in theљRussian press, as well as analysis of theљtexts of in-depth problematic interviews, were conducted. Analysis aimed at determination of theљcognitive strategies used by inhabitants and journalists who express their attitudes towards ethnic minorities. Theљmain data were collected within theљCISR's collective research project "'Caucasians' in aљBig City: Integration in theљContext of Xenophobia".
Researcher: Oksana Karpenko.
Supported by theљEuropean University at St.љPetersburg.

Fictitious Marriage as Migration Strategy in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia
(1998-1999)

Theљaim of theљproject was to study informal strategies of deconstructing migration barriers in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia. Problem-oriented interviews with persons who have had theљexperience of fictitious marriage were taken.
Researcher: Aglaya Toporova.
Supported by theљHeinrich Boell Foundation.

Identity Transformation in Forming Nationality State: Russian-speaking Population of Estonia
(1997-2000)

Theљaim of theљproject was to study theљtransformation and construction of identity of theљRussian-speaking population of Estonia. Theљresearch was conducted in theљcontext of mutual relations of Estonian and Russian nationality discourses of theљnon-Estonian population. Theљanalysis of relevant Russian and English literature, of Russian and Russian-speaking Estonian press sources, and of biographical and problem-oriented interviews was undertaken.
Researcher: Elena Nikiforova.
Supported by theљCISR.

Caucasians in aљBig City: Integration in theљContext of Xenophobia (TheљCase of St.љPetersburg)
(1997-1999)

Coordinator: Viktor Voronkov.
Theљaim of theљproject was to study problems in formation of ethnic niches in theљeconomy. Theљmethods of theљresearch include participant-observation in theљmilieu of Azeri greenery sellers and Armenian shoe repairers. In addition, narrative interviews with informants and experts were conducted. In theљcourse of theљproject, public discourse on Caucasians, as evidenced in leading Russian newspapers and juridical cases, was explored, and legal issues regarding discrimination against migrants in Moscow and St.љPetersburg were analysed.
Participants: Olga Brednikova, Elena Chikadze, Sergej Damberg, Oksana Karpenko, Oleg Pachenkov, Viktor Voronkov.
Supported by theљJohnљD. and CatherineљT. MacArthur Foundation.

"Brain Drain": Emigration of Scientists from theљCIS Countries
(1996-1997)

Joint project with theљInterdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in theљSocial Sciences (ICCR, Vienna).
Co-partners in theљproject - research teams from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine.
Coordinator: RonaldљJ. Pohoryles (ICCR).
Theљmain purpose of this research was to understand theљphenomenon of "brain drain" from theљCIS countries (theљcases of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine). Theљchanges taking place in theљacademic science, universities and R&D institutes of theљMilitary and Industrial Complex were analysed, as well as theљreasons, motivation and structure of scientists' emigration for theљlast ten years. Theљresearch focused on case studies. In theљcourse of theљproject work, problematic interviews were conducted with directors of R&D institutes and data on theљactivities of certain institutions over aљten-period was collected. Anљanalysis of statistics was also carried out.
Participants from CISR: Valentina Martynova, Viktor Voronkov.
Supported by theљInternational Association for theљPromotion of Cooperation with Scientists from theљIndependent States of theљFormer Soviet Union (INTAS).

Establishment of International Refugee Documentation Network (IRDN) in theљCIS Countries
(1996-1997)

Joint project with theљBerlin Institute for Comparative Social Research (BIVS).
Co-partners in theљproject - research teams from Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
Coordinator: Thomas Schwarz (BIVS).
Theљaims of theљproject were theљcollecting of information and theљestablishing of aљdatabase on refugees and displaced persons issues in theљCIS countries, as well as integrating NGOs of theљCIS countries in cooperation with theљIRDN (International Refugee Documentation Network). Anљelectronic version of newsletters based on press-materials from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine regarding theљproblems of refugees and displaced persons was produced. Twenty case studies on theљresults of empirical research on theљsubject are available on theљInternet.
Participants from CISR: Olga Kirillova, Elena Chikadze.
Supported by theљTACIS Programme of theљEU.

Russians in Estonia: Life Strategies of Young People
(1995-1997)

Aims: theљanalysis of theљlife strategies of "Estonian" Russians and theљdemythologisation of several representations of theљRussian-speaking population in Estonia. This study and comparison of theљlife strategies of young people and their parents puts in stark relief socio-cultural changes. Special attention was given to young people because theљway in which theљRussian community will present itself in theљfuture depends upon theљform and results of theљsocialisation of precisely this part of theљpopulation. Methods: problematising interviews with representatives of theљRussian-speaking population; expert interviews with officials and leaders of movements; participant-observation; an analytic overview of official resolutions and laws, theoretical and empirical work on theљtopic.
Researcher: Olga Kalacheva.
Supported by theљHeinrich Boell Foundation and theљCISR.

Forming of Ethnic Communities in St.љPetersburg and Berlin
(1995-1996)

Joint project with Osteuropa-Institut (Institute for Eastern European Studies of theљFree University of Berlin).
Coordinators: Viktor Voronkov (CISR), Ingrid Oswald (CISR, Osteuropa-Institut).
Theљtarget groups of research in St.љPetersburg were ethnic communities of Jews, Tatars, Estonians, Germans, Armenians, Poles and Azeris. Communities of recent migrants from theљformer Soviet Union were also studied in Berlin. Theљmain aim of theљresearch was to study ethnic processes in aљbig city, including theљforming of ethnic communities, their borders, ideology and everyday life and theљproblems of ethnic identity. Theљresearch method was participant observation in theљcity's formal organisations of ethnic communities and in families. From 20 to 30 biographical problematic interviews have been collected in each of theљethnic communities, and anљanalysis of press materials has also been carried out. Theљresults of theљresearch were published in aљnumber of papers and aљbook (Oswald Ingrid, Voronkov Viktor (Hrsg.). Post-sowjetische Ethnizitaeten. Ethnische Gemeinden in St.љPetersburg und Berlin/Postdam. Berlin: Berliner Debatte, GSFP, 1997. 280љS.). Aљcollection of papers in Russian was prepared for publication.
Participants from CISR in St.љPetersburg: Olga Brednikova, Elena Chikadze, Olga Kalacheva, Oksana Karpenko, Viktor Voronkov; in Berlin: Viktor Voronkov, Ingrid Oswald.
Supported by theљVolkswagen Stiftung (Germany).

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