The Latvian version: a model of intergeneratonal cultural transmission in the alphabet books for the Russian minority of the 1920-ies

The article considers the issues of intergenerational cultural transmission on the example of the textbooks for the primary education level, published for Russian children in Latvia in the period of 1920-ies. We compare the content of the alphabet books, published in Latvia, with the content of the alphabet books, published at the same time in Soviet Russia in order to identify the specific content and tools of the social and cultural transmission in the immigrant community. Conceptual frame of the study is comprised by the typology of cultures of M. Mead and modern studies of intergenerational cultural transmission. Content analysis of the alphabet books, published in 1920-ies in Soviet Russia, allows us to conclude that ABC represent the postfigurative type of intergenerational cultural transmission, however, intra-family intergenerational model is extrapolated to society as a whole. This allows normalizing on going social transformation and legitimizes the established social hierarchy. Model of intergenerational transmission in immigrant alphabet books is based on the motivation of the child to find his own values and orientations, to test the behavioral practices, and so on, with funds of knowledge and education recommended by the adult community.