Representation practices of the Udmurt language in the regional online sphere
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This research aims to provide an overview of regional online information resources (including individual websites and thematic social media pages) utilized by educators in Udmurtia to foster the ethno-cultural values of the Udmurt people. The study focuses on the content of these resources, their purpose and function, and the methods employed by educators in integrating regional and local history materials from the internet into their work. The novelty of this study lies in the identification of ethnic internet resources as instruments for shaping modern "virtual ethnicity", and subsequent documentation of the formation of new virtual ethnic and regional identities through civic engagement among individual activists; furthermore, it highlights the link between promoting core elements of ethno-cultural values and preserving the linguistic and cultural uniqueness of the Udmurts against the backdrop of intensifying assimilation processes. The research demonstrates that resources which foster identity through the preservation and promotion of the Udmurt language are of particular importance to native speakers of the titular nation. According to the interviewees, language acquisition, especially within the educational system, is crucial to preserving the Udmurt people's ethno-cultural values, as the native language serves as a means of reinforcing and reproducing the cultural code, heritage, traditions, and spiritual values of the people. The research involved processing materials from expert interviews conducted with educators from educational institutions in the Udmurt Republic and specialists working with the ethno-cultural component in education. Over 60 expert interviews were collected and analyzed throughout 2024. The study primarily focuses on electronic resources that respondents frequently referenced. Specialized federal educational resources, resources of federal and republican authorities, and resources of scientific and educational organizations within higher education systems are intentionally excluded from consideration. The emphasis is specifically on the content identified by the interviewed experts as most promising for introducing students/language learners to the linguistic practices of the Udmurts as an indigenous people in the Udmurt Republic.
Source: Philology Theory & Practice
Language: English
Subfield: Linguistics and Language
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410103269