The Phenomenon of Heterogeneity of the Armenian Diaspora in Moscow (Late 20th - Early 21st Centuries): Towards the Topic Establishment

Abstract

The subject of this research is the phenomenon of heterogeneity among the world's oldest Armenian diaspora. The research object is the modern Armenians living in Moscow. The author examines in detail the concept of “heterogeneity”, its essence and the need to use this term in order to comprehend the basic components of the national and cultural identity of the Armenians and its binding foundations. To describe the multi-layered nature of the Armenian diaspora, which was formed as a result of migrations for centuries, the author examines the particularities and the general formation process of the Armenian diaspora in Russia and particularly in the capital. The empirical basis of this study is the "field" materials from the year 2018 that were collected within the framework of the project “The Formative Features and the Development of the Armenian Diaspora in Moscow at the End of the 20th - Beginning of the 21st Centuries”, supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant No. 18-59-0500718. The survey of participants, representatives of the Armenian diaspora of different sex, age, place of birth and social status, was carried out in the form of a questionnaire with elements of a formalized interview. Based on the survey, the author provides a classification of the Spyurk into national-cultural subgroups, as well as a currently relevant analysis of the specifics of the Armenian diaspora's functioning in Moscow. As a result of this study, the author made a number of preliminary conclusions about the most relevant assimilation and integration trends among representatives of Moscow Armenians.