Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MoveMeRU (Moving Russia(ns): Intergenerational Transmission of Memories Abroad and at Home)
Période du rapport: 2022-09-01 au 2025-02-28
From Russia, with memories
To what extent do young adults in migrant and non-migrant families identify with their parents’ or grandparents' homeland and period of history? Under what conditions do the historical memories and political attitudes of young adults in migrant and non-migrant families converge with, or diverge from, those of their parents? What kinds of historical memories are conducive to solidarity and pluralist political attitudes or, conversely, to indifference and intolerance? The ERC-funded MoveMeRU project will answer these questions. It will focus on the Russian-background population in Germany, Estonia, and Canada. The findings will shed light on the use of memories to appeal to the emotions of Russians at home and abroad, and how this is leveraged to increase their sense of belonging to Russia.
To what extent do young adults in migrant and non-migrant families identify with their parents’ or grandparents' homeland and period of history? Under what conditions do the historical memories and political attitudes of young adults in migrant and non-migrant families converge with, or diverge from, those of their parents? What kinds of historical memories are conducive to solidarity and pluralist political attitudes or, conversely, to indifference and intolerance? The ERC-funded MoveMeRU project will answer these questions. It will focus on the Russian-background population in Germany, Estonia, and Canada. The findings will shed light on the use of memories to appeal to the emotions of Russians at home and abroad, and how this is leveraged to increase their sense of belonging to Russia.
The project is progressing smoothly, in line with the original plan, with significant advancements in the technical and scientific areas, including surveys, focus groups, media analysis, and comparative analysis across Estonia, Germany, and Canada.
Surveys: The survey work is proceeding as scheduled. The team has focused on theoretical research, discussing key topics such as intergenerationality, memory, and migration. Surveys were launched after securing research partners in the three target countries Germany, Estonia and Canada. Data collection has been completed in Germany and Canada, with analysis already underway. In Estonia the data collection is currently ongoing. Reports are scheduled for release later this year and early next year, providing first insights into the research findings.
Focus Groups: The focus group component is also progressing well. After completing theoretical groundwork, focus group discussions started ahead of schedule in Estonia, Germany, and Canada. Data collection is expected to conclude by the end of October 2024, with analysis and report writing to follow.
Media Analysis: Work on the media analysis stream began in early 2024, focusing on social media platforms and key stakeholders relevant to the study in Germany. The team has also established a social media presence to engage a broader audience with the research. Significant progress has been made, with early work on related academic papers already underway.
Comparative Analysis: Although planned for a later stage, the project is already accumulating comparative data from surveys and focus groups conducted in Estonia, Germany, and Canada, providing a strong foundation for the next phase of the research.
In summary, the project is on track and meeting its objectives, with significant progress in all research areas across Estonia, Germany, and Canada. Key findings are being prepared for publication, contributing to academic and public discussions on the research topics.
Surveys: The survey work is proceeding as scheduled. The team has focused on theoretical research, discussing key topics such as intergenerationality, memory, and migration. Surveys were launched after securing research partners in the three target countries Germany, Estonia and Canada. Data collection has been completed in Germany and Canada, with analysis already underway. In Estonia the data collection is currently ongoing. Reports are scheduled for release later this year and early next year, providing first insights into the research findings.
Focus Groups: The focus group component is also progressing well. After completing theoretical groundwork, focus group discussions started ahead of schedule in Estonia, Germany, and Canada. Data collection is expected to conclude by the end of October 2024, with analysis and report writing to follow.
Media Analysis: Work on the media analysis stream began in early 2024, focusing on social media platforms and key stakeholders relevant to the study in Germany. The team has also established a social media presence to engage a broader audience with the research. Significant progress has been made, with early work on related academic papers already underway.
Comparative Analysis: Although planned for a later stage, the project is already accumulating comparative data from surveys and focus groups conducted in Estonia, Germany, and Canada, providing a strong foundation for the next phase of the research.
In summary, the project is on track and meeting its objectives, with significant progress in all research areas across Estonia, Germany, and Canada. Key findings are being prepared for publication, contributing to academic and public discussions on the research topics.
Unique Survey Data
One of the most significant achievements of this project is the successful collection of unique survey data on migrant populations with a Russian background. Across countries it required significant methodological innovation to reach this target group in the required numbers. The dataset will provide the basis for further research in the years to come for MoveMeRU team members and other colleagues. This achievement is particularly notable as there is a scarcity of research focused on this demographic, especially studies that consider multiple family members. Our dataset uniquely fills this gap by providing comprehensive insights into this under-researched population, contributing substantially to the fields of political socialization and migration studies.
Country-Specific Achievements
Germany: Reaching a highly challenging and research-averse target group within Germany is an exceptional accomplishment. This population is typically distant from social science research, making the successful engagement and participation a noteworthy milestone. For the successful survey we had to combine several ways to reach the target population which has, despite its size, not been studied in any systematic way. For the focus groups, we partner with a specialised recruitment company that ensures a balanced sample.
Canada: In Canada, despite the relatively small population size, we were able to collect high-quality data that accurately reflects the diversity of the Russian-background community. This dataset provides the first ever insights on a community that has received some political attention but been sidelined in research.
Estonia: A key milestone was successfully navigating administrative and regulatory challenges to access essential population data. This involved working through complex ethical requirements and obtaining necessary permissions, which enabled our Estonian partner to acquire the relevant contact information.
In the months ahead the team will focus on analysing the data to produce scientific output and integrate the insights into public and policy debate.
One of the most significant achievements of this project is the successful collection of unique survey data on migrant populations with a Russian background. Across countries it required significant methodological innovation to reach this target group in the required numbers. The dataset will provide the basis for further research in the years to come for MoveMeRU team members and other colleagues. This achievement is particularly notable as there is a scarcity of research focused on this demographic, especially studies that consider multiple family members. Our dataset uniquely fills this gap by providing comprehensive insights into this under-researched population, contributing substantially to the fields of political socialization and migration studies.
Country-Specific Achievements
Germany: Reaching a highly challenging and research-averse target group within Germany is an exceptional accomplishment. This population is typically distant from social science research, making the successful engagement and participation a noteworthy milestone. For the successful survey we had to combine several ways to reach the target population which has, despite its size, not been studied in any systematic way. For the focus groups, we partner with a specialised recruitment company that ensures a balanced sample.
Canada: In Canada, despite the relatively small population size, we were able to collect high-quality data that accurately reflects the diversity of the Russian-background community. This dataset provides the first ever insights on a community that has received some political attention but been sidelined in research.
Estonia: A key milestone was successfully navigating administrative and regulatory challenges to access essential population data. This involved working through complex ethical requirements and obtaining necessary permissions, which enabled our Estonian partner to acquire the relevant contact information.
In the months ahead the team will focus on analysing the data to produce scientific output and integrate the insights into public and policy debate.