Modes of Diversity in Japan: Russian-speaking Migrants and their Material Culture

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12591
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Toyo University (2020-2021); The University of Tokyo (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Golovina Ksenia 東洋大学, 社会学部, 准教授 (30749156)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 在日ロシア語圏移住者 / 物質文化 / 住まい / 衣食住 / DIY / コミュニティ形成 / マテリアリティ / 情動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This four-year research project focused on the material practices of Russian-speaking migrants in Japan. The project placed an emphasis on residences, homemaking, placemaking and various practices concerning food and clothing. The project also focused on determining the types of housing migrants inhabit, their housing paths, and relocation trajectories. Furthermore, data was gathered regarding home repairs and decorations, the (re)making of various items, exterior gatherings at symbolic locations, and tending to the graves of compatriots. It was demonstrated that migrant placemaking contributes to revitalizing material spaces. It was also revealed that many local items acquire new value through use by migrants and that such items are thereby incorporated into the transnational flow of goods. The research contributed to developing further theoretical perspectives in the frameworks of affect and kinship theory in addition to offering morphological approaches to migrant narratives.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで研究の比較的少なかった東ヨーロッパや中央アジア、北東アジアからの在日移住者を対象として、彼・彼女らの物質的実践を包括的に調査し、住まいや所有物、消費財などに伴うプラクシスを明らかにすることで、モノの人類学ならびにマテリアル人類学研究に貢献した。また、物質的実践をめぐる理論や概念について、移住者によるモノのプラクシスや語りを理解するにあたり、形態論、アフェクト論、情動的親族論、消費論、ブリコラージュやセミオモルフォーシス等を適用し、さらに発展させた。同時に、これらの実践は日本に及ぼす影響も浮き彫りにし、移住者を対象とする実務家に役立つ事例を蓄積した。