Russkiy Mir: Russophone Communities Throughout the Globe

Project leader

Leonid Polishchuk

Project period

September 2016-ongoing

Project description

Multiple waves of emigration and the break-up of the Soviet Union have left around 30 million native speakers of Russian (Russophones) outside of the Russian Federation. Russian diasporas are increasingly visible in social and political lives of host countries, and present an important phenomenon of the modern world. Recently this phenomenon has acquired geo-political significance, after the Russian government deemed Russophone communities abroad as parts of the broader “Russian World” (Russkiy Mir), integrated in Russia’s spheres of influence and responsibility. The emergence of the Russkiy Mir concept of as a common “civilizational space” of Russia and all Russians around the world signifies a more pro-active approach of the Kremlin to diaspora policies.

The project studies the identity formation processes in Russian diasporas, their loyalties, norms and attitudes, integration or lack thereof in the host countries’ social and political mainstreams pose important and challenging problems which draw increasing attention of sociologists, anthropologists, and political scientists. It has brought together scholars studying various Russophone communities in the former Soviet Union, Western Europe and Israel, and the Russkiy Mir ideology and practice. It is expected to result in an edited volume on the present trends and dilemmas in the Russkiy Mir.