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

The children of migrants are often exposed to several distinct national histories: one from their country of residence and another 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 to 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.

MovMeRU project plans to adopt a multidimensional research approach consisting of three key components:
a) Parent-child opinion surveys that explore historical perspectives among migrant communities and non-migrant nationals in these three destination countries.
b) Cross-generational focus groups conducted in the same countries to delve deeper into the intergenerational dynamics of historical memory.
c) Analysis of historical narratives in media outlets targeting Russian speakers living abroad.

By refining our understanding of similarities and differences in the intergenerational transmission of historical memories within families with migratory backgrounds compared to families from the national reference population, the project offers valuable insights into the drivers of integration as well as the obstacles faced.

The findings will have significant implications for political decision-making in destination countries and 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.