July 6–28, 2019

Republic of Kalmykia, Republic of Karelia

Fieldwork on Ethnicity and Museums

In July 2019, the Group for Migration and Ethnicity Research organized a scientific and educational expedition. The project was led by E.A. Varshaver with co-leadership by N.S. Ivanova.

Participants explored how ethnicity is constructed and reproduced in museum spaces. The expedition took place in Kalmykia and Karelia, where local museums became research sites. Students examined how “nations” and “peoples” are represented in exhibitions, how symbolic hierarchies are constructed, and who is made visible — or invisible — in the museum narrative. The research involved observing exhibitions, listening to guided tours, and interviewing museum staff.

In the photo: participants listening to a guide in the museum of Kalevala settlement

Preparation and Analysis

Before entering the field, participants completed a training module during the Summer School — reading key texts, discussing theoretical frameworks, and developing an interview guide. The expedition concluded with another Summer School session, where the group analyzed collected data using discourse analysis, compared museum representations, and discussed how ethnicity is “produced” through culture and exhibition practices.

In the photo: participants analyzing materials at the Summer School

Podcast on the Expedition's Concept

Before the journey began, the expedition leader was featured in the Summer School podcast, where he discussed how museums transmit ethnicity, how the expedition was organized — and why it involved tents. He also shared what participants could expect in the field, and why the experience was worth it.

Center for Field Research and Evgeniy Varshaver — Summer School 2019 Summer School. Podcast [in Russian]

Group photo by the car after completing the fieldwork stage