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Iagafova E., Rogovoy A. Chuvash Regional Communities in Social Networks

E. Iagafova
Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education
Samara, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0000-0002-2784-8090
E-mail: yagafova@yandex.ru 

A. Rogovoy
Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education
Samara, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0009-0000-2136-9446
E-mail: rogovoy.aleksey@psga.ru

 

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ABSTRACT. The article considers the geography, content, and functional characteristics of regional Chuvash virtual communities in social networks Odnoklassniki and VKontakte. It defines their role in maintaining and updating the ethnic identity of the Chuvash people. The study showed that the Chuvash virtual communities contribute to consolidating the Chuvash population in the regions and throughout Russia, forming a unified space of the Chuvash ethnic culture. The topics and content of the groups are in demand with the Chuvash people living in different Russian regions, especially those with large Chuvash population. However, the scale of participation in cyber communities is limited, and a relatively narrow segment of the Chuvash participates in the Internet groups in each region. Virtual space is an effective way for group members to articulate their ethnic needs when the conditions of real communication are limited and to familiarize themselves with the nation’s cultural and linguistic values. At the same time, the Chuvash language in these and other groups is in little demand, and the communication is mainly in Russian. In general, the virtual space of the Chuvash ethnicity in the Russian regions and abroad is a projection of the real one; it reflects the self-awareness of regional communities, the forms and ways of its expression in the public space through ethnically marked cultural elements: the Chuvash costume, traditional rituals, folk songs, and other aspects.

 

KEYWORDS: Chuvash, social networks, Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, virtual communities

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8600-2023-4(22) -181-194
УДК 316.77

 

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