Festive commemorations and symbolic dates in the modern Russian migration society

The article analyzes the results of an empirical study conducted with the support of the Russian Science Foundation in 2018-2019 in the cities of Saratov, Lipetsk, Tambov, Voronezh, Kazan’. The purpose of the work was to study the possibilities of integrating the cultural memory of migrants into the Russian society using the example of commemorative practices related to holiday culture. Using the definition of the holiday proposed by P. Bourdieu, the authors understood the holiday as an indicator and an instrument of cultural and historical exchange. Based on the chosen theoretical and methodological framework, an analysis of empirical material showed the following results: 1) migrants generally evaluate Russian holidays positively, but only a third of them take an active part in holiday practices; 2) with aging and an increase in the length of stay, migrants find more opportunities for celebrating religious holidays; 3) most migrants observe the secular and religious customs of the country of origin. The integration of migrants into the Russian holiday culture was hindered by the crisis of the holiday culture itself, the growth of xenophobia and the uncertainty of the politics of migration. To avoid further growth of xenophobia and disunity, the authors suggested taking into account the peculiarities of specific groups of migrants, focusing more on local rather than federal holidays, and expanding migrants’ access to the study of the Russian language and culture.