Moving Russia(ns): Intergenerational Transmission of Memories Abroad and at Home (MoveMeRU)

The children of migrants are often exposed to several distinct national histories. Firstly, from their country of residence, and secondly, from their family’s countries of origin. However, the impact of intergenerational transmission of historical views on the relationships migrants develop with both places remains unclear. Addressing this critical gap, the MoveMeRU project plans to apply theories of intergenerational transmission and second-generation transnationalism.

The project will, therefore, examine and compare the historical memories of populations with migratory backgrounds and national reference populations across two generations. The study focuses on populations with Russian migrant backgrounds in Germany, Estonia, and Canada.

MoveMeRU project plans to adopt a multidimensional research approach consisting of three key components:

1. Parent-child opinion surveys that explore historical perspectives among migrant communities and non-migrant nationals in these three destination countries.
2. Cross-generational focus groups conducted in the same countries to delve deeper into the intergenerational dynamics of historical memory.
3. Analysis of historical narratives in media outlets targeting Russian speakers living abroad.

By refining our understanding of the intergenerational transmission of historical memories, the project compares families with migratory backgrounds to those from the national reference population. This comparison offers valuable insights into the drivers of integration and highlights the obstacles faced.

The findings will have significant implications for political decision-making in destination countries. Furthermore, they will raise public awareness about intergenerational shifts within migrant communities. This tender proposal is specifically centred around the development and implementation of the initial key component of the research project, which involves conducting intergenerational surveys. It emphasizes the importance of rigorous data collection methods, ethical considerations, and primary data analysis techniques (i.e. data cleaning and transfer to the tenderee) to ensure the reliability and validity of the research findings.