The Formation of the «Russian world» Network Structure in Germany in 1991-2020

Abstract

The article analyzes the main periods in the development of the «Russian world» network structure in Germany at the present stage. The work refers to the concept of «network structure» from the point of view of cultural studies. The subject of the research is cultural institutions abroad, which are the elements of the «Russian world» network structure in Germany. These institutions were actively developing in the 1990s, which was due to a significant influx of Russian speakers into Germany, and as part of their activities, they were guided by the socio-cultural needs of the Russian-speaking Germans arriving in the country and permanently residing in it, also belonging to the target audience of the «Russian world» institutions. Based on the analysis of data from the official websites of 33 institutions of the «Russian world» in Germany and the application of the cultural classification method, the author presents a typology of the institutions of the «Russian world» in Germany according to three criteria: founder, place of action and function. The article shows the influence of the sociocultural needs of the target audience on the formation of the «Russian world» network structure: it affects the structure’s functions, features of development and the language of functioning. The author's special contribution is the use of publications of some "Russian world" institutions as sources that have not previously been used by researchers as a basis for the analysis of cultural institutions and the "Russian world" network structure. The results obtained can be applied in the development of strategies for interaction with compatriots living abroad and the cultural policy of the state.