Russian Diaspora in Mongolia: Discourses of Historical Memory Construction

 Introduction. Russians of Mongolia are a diaspora that formed as a result of migrations in the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. The article considers patterns and plots of Russian historical memory in Mongolia traced in narratives recorded during a field study of the specified ethnic group in August 2023 within a corresponding project funded by Russian Science Foundation (reg. no. 23-18-00478). Goals. The paper considers some key discourses of historical memory construction that largely shaped the Russian diaspora in Mongolia. The historical memory of Mongolia’s Russians is interesting as a reflection of the group’s formation stages, its ethnocultural contexts and self-identification trends. Methods. The main tool of obtaining data on ethnocultural and linguistic features of the ethnic group are detailed autobiographical narratives, the latter be understood as reconstructions aimed not at demonstrating the actual state of affairs but rather at reconstituting reinterpreted experiences of the past. So, the analysis focuses on materials collected during the aforementioned field study. A total of 17 autobiographical interviews were recorded across different social groups of Mongolia’s Russians — in Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, and Züünkharaa. Results. The Russians of Mongolia tend to construct an image of the diaspora as a community that had been forced to stay cut off from homeland Russia as a result of insurmountable circumstances, and that remained as faithful despite the experienced rejection and discrimination. It is noteworthy the discourse of somewhat rejected diaspora has not only symbolic meanings associated with the rehabilitation of Mongolia’s Russians after their history was defamed with the ‘Semyonovtsy’ myth — but also pursues a completely practical goal: appealing to their patriotism Russians strive to achieve an improvement in their legal status in Mongolia, get support from Russia, and expand their civil rights.

1. Field study of Mongolia’s native Russians: A total of 17 autobiographic interviews (Rec. in August 2023, Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Züünkharaa).

2. Assmann J. C Cultural Memory and Early Civilization: Writing, Remembrance, and Political Imagination. M. Sokolskaya (transl.). Moscow: Yazyki Slavyanskoy Kultury, 2004. 368 p. (In Russ.)

3. Assmann A. The Long Shadow of the Past: Memorial Culture and Historical Politics. B. Khlebnikov (transl.). Moscow: Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, 2014. 328 p. (In Russ.)

4. Assmann A. Another Dissatisfaction with Memorial Culture. B. Khlebnikov (transl.). Moscow: Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, 2016. 223 p. (In Russ.)

5. Bakhtin M. M. Collected Writings. In 7 vols. Vol. 6: Issues of Dostoevsky’s Poetics, 1963. Works of the 1960s–1970s. Moscow: Russkie Slovari; Yazyki Slavyanskoy Kultury, 2002. 800 p. (In Russ.)

6. Buraeva O. V., Narantsetseg D. Russians in Mongolia: Evidence of A. I. Maslov. Modern Scientific Thought. 2019. No. 6. Pp. 167–176. (In Russ.)

7. Veretnova A. The Fair-Skinned Mongolian Woman. Yekaterinburg: Izdatelskie Resheniya, 2019. 244 p. (In Russ.)

8. Dampilova L. S. Buryats in Russia, Mongolia, China: Preservation and Transformation of Folklore Traditions. Irkutsk: Ottisk, 2023. 216 p. (In Russ.)

9. Darevskaya E. M. Siberia and Mongolia, Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries: Essays on Russian-Mongolian Contacts. Irkutsk: Irkutsk State University, 1994. 396 p. (In Russ.)

10. Dunaev V. A. Veteran of Russian community V. Dunaev responds to remarks by Russian Ambassador I. Azizov. On: Mongoliya Seychas. Posted on 1 September 2019. Available at: http://www.mongolnow.com/otvet-veterana-russkoj-obshhiny-dunaeva-v-a-poslu-rf-v-mongolii-azizovu-i-k/ (accessed: 5 May 2024). (In Russ.)

11. Dyrkheeva G. A., Sarantsatsral E., Tsybenova Ch. S. Russian in Mongolia. Ulan-Ude: Buryat Scientific Center (SB RAS), 2023. 199 p. (In Russ.)

12. Yedinarkhova N. E. Russian Consulate to Urga and Ya. P. Shishmarev. Irkutsk: Reprotsentr A1, 2008. 136 p. (In Russ.)

13. Yedinarkhova N. E. Kyakhta and Its Trade, 1840s–1860s. Irkutsk: Ottisk, 2015. 163 p. (In Russ.)

14. Kozlov P. K. The Three-Year Travel through Mongolia and Tibet, 1899–1901. St. Petersburg: Chief Directorate of [Russian] Appanages, 1911. 160 p. (In Russ.)

15. Odontuya L. Bilingualism and the Russian diaspora in Mongolia. Štúdie a články. 2023. No. 53–54. Pp. 32–46. (In Russ.)

16. Maisky I. M. Contemporary Mongolia. Irkutsk: State Publ. House, 1921. 472 p. (In Russ.)

17. Maisky I. M. Mongolia on the Revolution’s Eve. Second edition, rev. Moscow: Oriental Literature Press, 1960. 310 p. (In Russ.)

18. Maslov A. I. Russians in Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar: Munkhiin Useg, 2009. 208 p. (In Russ.)

19. Matveev L. M. Russian colony in Mongolia. Urginskie vedomosti. 2007. No. 10–11. Pp. 5–10. (In Russ.)

20. Mikhalev A. V. Political status of local Russians in Mongolia (1965–2000). Buryat State University Bulletin. 2011. No. 8. Pp. 180–185. (In Russ.)

21. Mikhalev A. V. Creating the enemy: “Mestnorusskie” (local Russians) in Mongolia.

22. Обозреватель–Observer. 2015. No. 9 (308). Pp. 105–119. (In Russ.)

23. The Memory: Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Great Victory. Ulaanbaatar, 2010. 76 p. (In Russ.)

24. Potanin G. N. Essays on Northwestern Mongolia: [Summarizing] Outcomes of the 1876–1877 Travel Undertaken on Instructions from Imperial Russian Geographical Society. Vol. 1–4. Pt. 3: Travel Notes and Materials on Physical Geography and Topography. St. Petersburg: V. Bezobrazov & Co., 1883. 372 p. (In Russ.)

25. Svechnikov A. P. Russians in Mongolia: Observations and Conclusions. St. Petersburg: Energiya, 1912. 150 p. (In Russ.)

26. Sokolovsky S. V. Ethnic phenomena. On: PostNauka. Posted on 27 May 2013. Available at: https://postnauka.org/video/12898 (accessed: 20 May 2024). (In Russ.)

27. Startsev A. V. Russian Trade in Mongolia, Mid-Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries. Barnaul: Altai State University, 2003. 305 p. (In Russ.)

28. Sundueva D. B. Narrative history and «life world» of Russian community in Mongolia. Diskussiya [Discussion]. 2014. No. 10 (51). Pp. 101–112. (In Russ.)

29. Halbwachs M. The Social Frameworks of Memory. S. Zenkin (transl., foreword). Moscow: Novoe Izdatelstvo, 2007. 348 p. (In Russ.)

30. Bruner J. Life as narrative. Social Research. 2004. Vol. 71. No. 3. Pp. 691‒710. (In Eng.)

31. Population and Housing Census of Mongolia: National Report. On: National Statistics Office of Mongolia. Posted on 8 February 2021. Available at: https://1212.mn/en/statistic/file-library/view/47811341 (accessed: 5 May 2024). (In Eng.)

32.

33.

34.