Everyday Linguistic and Cultural Practices of the Russophone Diaspora

This book explores the language maintenance of Russian abroad, emphasizing the role of educational ventures and transnational communications facilitated by the internet, pointing to shifts in values and migration expectations, and reflecting on the evolution of diasporic communities and the dynamic adaptation of the Russian language.

The Russian language has evolved into a lingua franca in post-Soviet immigrant communities, prompting an analysis of its use in different domains. Everyday Linguistic and Cultural Practices of the Russophone Diaspora explores the language maintenance of Russian abroad, emphasizing the role of educational ventures and transnational communications facilitated by the internet. This book researches specific aspects of migrant life, including occupational practices, homemaking, family dynamics, cultural engagement, and linguistic hybridity, and makes use of extensive empirical data spanning Soviet, post-Soviet, and non-Soviet migrant generations collected from European, North American, and Asian communities. Relations between different migration waves are not always friendly, but are mediated through online discussion forums, which help to foster mutual understanding. Like all migrants, Russophones seek better opportunities by establishing new homes, revealing intergenerational differences in lifestyle and adaptation. This volume focuses on the emigration waves between 1990 and 2020, and points to shifts in values and migration expectations and reflecting on the evolution of diasporic communities and the dynamic adaptation of the Russian language.