Event Title
Narratives from the Former Soviet Union to the United States
Location
CSU 255
Start Date
22-4-2008 10:30 AM
End Date
22-4-2008 12:00 PM
Student's Major
Sociology and Corrections
Student's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor's Name
Emily Boyd
Mentor's Department
Sociology and Corrections
Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
This paper examined the consequences of the Soviet Fall on the experiences of East European Immigrants and American Tourists. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who were from the United States and had traveled to the former USSR or were natives of Eastern Europe. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed inductively with the goal of understanding (a) differences in life experiences across cultures, (b) how change in regime effects a person's life story and (c) the importance of social traditions. My findings focused on the transformation of economic conditions after the fall and on the social traditions surrounding alcohol consumption. Particularly, I showed that the fall of the Soviet Union opened a doorway for economic and technological expansion. It allowed an increase in availability and acceptance of foreign products such as cell phones and cars. I also detail the traditions and customs surrounding alcohol use both before and after the fall. My analysis focused on the social pressures to consume alcohol and also on how rates of consumption were impacted by economic and working conditions.
Narratives from the Former Soviet Union to the United States
CSU 255
This paper examined the consequences of the Soviet Fall on the experiences of East European Immigrants and American Tourists. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who were from the United States and had traveled to the former USSR or were natives of Eastern Europe. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed inductively with the goal of understanding (a) differences in life experiences across cultures, (b) how change in regime effects a person's life story and (c) the importance of social traditions. My findings focused on the transformation of economic conditions after the fall and on the social traditions surrounding alcohol consumption. Particularly, I showed that the fall of the Soviet Union opened a doorway for economic and technological expansion. It allowed an increase in availability and acceptance of foreign products such as cell phones and cars. I also detail the traditions and customs surrounding alcohol use both before and after the fall. My analysis focused on the social pressures to consume alcohol and also on how rates of consumption were impacted by economic and working conditions.
Recommended Citation
Maas, Kimberly. "Narratives from the Former Soviet Union to the United States." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 22, 2008.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2008/oral-session-13/4
