focus groups - perception of russians (1 Viewer)

[fly.away.fairy]

Hello all! I would be so appreciative if you guys would take a minute or so to answer a few questions, and participate in this focus group. I will love you for the rest of your life !!!

My name is Natalie Bibina, I'm a year 12 high school student and I’m doing my PIP project on the individuals struggle for cultural identity and sense of self while being influenced by two opposing cultures with competing expectations, and its change over time in the Russian community. This particular focus group is aimed at everyone APART from Russians, because I would like to find out peoples perceptions of the Russian community and their stereotypical values which they associate with this particular group.


So to start off:

"A stereotype is a fixed general image or set of charecteristics that a majority of people believe represents a particular type of person or thing". There is always a national sterotype, ethnic prejudice or ethnic perceptions that are associated with particular individuals. What is your definition of a sterotype and what kind of stereotype do you associate with a russian?

 

[Tulipa]

Oh Oh RUSSIANS!

Love Russians. Completely fascinating how they have their own culture outside of Western and Eastern spheres. It's an amazing country and a very cool (albeit masochist) sort of group.

I'm not going to be very helpful because I don't have a stereotype of a Russian considering I've been studying them for the past few years. Also because there isn't really a "Russian" kind of group, too many ethnicities I guess. I'll try anyways though.

My definition of a stereotype though is exactly what you said, something that is likened to a group of people that while perhaps not true is a popular opinion.

My "stereotype" would be that they're a hardworking, vodka-swilling group of people I guess.

 

[just-a-stranger]

hey.

ok to start with my definition for "stereotypes" is similar to yours. Something along the lines of being a generalisation about a certain group that may or may not be true.

at the start without having met a friend who wasn't russian, the only stereotype i held was that they are tennis fanatics. yehp =). then i met some russian people (and they were tennis fanatics so that reinforced the image in my mind!) but i also noticed how hard-working they are.. so that became one of the stereotypes ive had as well..

and i associate "vodka drinkin" with russians as well only after an episode of amazing race..

 

[Fish Sauce]

I think the general stereotype is drinking vodka from the age where you can walk, heavy accents and warm clothes. At least those are the ones I usually see.

I did know a Russian guy for a while though (he was crazy!) and he seemed obsessed with potatoes, so that's something that stuck with me.

That's all I can think of, sorry, but I'm sure there are a lot more.

 

[fly.away.fairy]

Thanks everyone for your comments ! The next on in the series is:


"The way of life in Russia is very simple. Russians love to eat rye bread with herring and drink vodka the same way the British drink their 5 o'clock tea. The fashion for fur coats and hats is at all times high and the cold winters are impossible to survive. The university professors have to sell matryoshki dolls to foreigners, and former teachers work as security guards and loaders. The average salary is $150 per month, but President Putin is still loved by the nation. Playing balalaika and drinking vodka is their only entertainment and refuge from this hostile world. Especially, in light of the fact that at any moment there can be another explosion set up by the Chechens that will put an end to this miserable existence. The only hope is the children, who are keen fans of the band TaTu and dream of fleeing the country as soon as they are 18. A few dozen people who managed to make some money on the immense oil fields now live in exile and Russia will soon go back to communism”
You’ve probably heard or seen some of these stereotypical attributes many a time. In movies, such as “From Russia with Love” James Bond, advertisements for Vodka.
How accurate do you think is the above description? Please Explain.
Do you believe that you would attribute these stereotypical attributes to someone you knew in real life. Would this affect how you treated them?

 

[nedcooper]

Before studying Russian history and maturing through high school, I held a stereotype of Russians, particularly male russians, during primary school. I built my stereotype from personalities in the media and from parental education. Boris Yeltsin for me was the typical Russian, larger man with a big smile, a big furry hat on top and keen for vodka. My father went to Russia on trips in the late 1970s and basically what he saw became my knowledge of the country. As a 20 year old man his obvious attraction was the drink and the girls, so he sought the party life and only really saw one aspect of Russian society and one group, young partygoers. I guess this is how I achieved my younger understanding of Russians as crazy drinkers. However after studying Russian history obviously I saw other sides of the story, and of p[articular interest came a small documentary on the neo-Nazi movement in the nation on the foreign correspondent. Unitl then I was unaware of the diverse culture of the nation.