Cultural Discourse Analysis of Russian Alcohol Consumption
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University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Spring August 2014 Cultural Discourse Analysis of Russian Alcohol Consumption Elena V. Nuciforo University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2 Part of the Health Communication Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Slavic Languages and Societies Commons, and the Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons Recommended Citation Nuciforo, Elena V., "Cultural Discourse Analysis of Russian Alcohol Consumption" (2014). Doctoral Dissertations. 120. https://doi.org/10.7275/412q-y493 https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/120 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CULTURAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION A Dissertation Presented by ELENA V. NUCIFORO Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2014 Department of Communication © Copyright by Elena V. Nuciforo 2014 All Rights Reserved CULTURAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION A Dissertation Presented by ELENA V. NUCIFORO Approved as to style and content by: _________________________________________ Donal Carbaugh, Chair _________________________________________ Benjamin Bailey, Member _________________________________________ David Buchanan, Member ______________________________________ Erica Scharrer, Department Head Department of Communication DEDICATION Памяти Ирины Николаевны Зубовой, моей бабушки To the memory of Irina Nikolaevna Zubova, my grandmother ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the people who made this study possible and who supported me emotionally and intellectually while I was working on this research. First and foremost, I am grateful to my advisor, Dr. Donal Carbaugh, who has been with me from the very beginning with his advice, encouragement, patience, and the wisdom of a true mentor. I am much indebted to Dr. Natalia Yazykova, who was my first mentor at Buryat State University and who sparked my interest in studying intercultural communication. I am thankful to the professors and graduate students at the University of Massachusetts who helped me mature as a scholar and contributed to some of the ideas that guided this study. Doctor Benjamin Bailey and Doctor David Buchanan served as invaluable committee members. I especially appreciate that Dr. Buchanan gave me an opportunity to work on several public health projects in Russia with the Institute for Global Health. I will be forever grateful to my respondents in Russia who agreed to participate in the interviews and provided me with some incredible insights for this study. My gratitude goes out to my parents – Liudmila and Vladimir – who are always there for me when I need them. My sister Irina is my best friend, a soul mate, a patient and understanding listener. She has always told me that I will succeed no matter what. My husband Andrea has been by my side with his love and advice. He has provided me with incredible support and encouraged me to shoot for the stars. My sons Eric and Maxim were born while I was working on this dissertation and motivated me to work hard and use my time wisely. I would like to acknowledge the Anca Romantan Graduate International Research Grant that funded one of my field trips to Russia. I dedicate this study to the memory of my grandmother Irina Nikolaevna Zubova, who did not live to see me finish this dissertation, but who is largely responsible for what I have accomplished in life so far. v ABSTRACT CULTURAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION MAY 2014 ELENA V. NUCIFORO HIGHER EDUCATION DIPLOMA, BURYAT STATE UNIVERSITY M.Ed., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Donal Carbaugh The study uses cultural discourse analysis to explore alcohol consumption that is valued as normal and enjoyable, and to examine how alcohol consumption is viewed as a problem in both folk and official discourses in Russia. An event called “posidet’” (to sit) is deeply embedded in Russian cultural discourse in the form of a communication ritual with enjoyable alcohol consumption. The ritual has a structured sequence, commonly upheld norms, and a multilayered “sacred object” that provides access to cultural meanings of Russian personhood, relations, actions, emotions, and location in the nature of things. A ritualistic corrective sequence in case someone refuses a drink results in a clash between the face of the immediate group and the face of the individual refusing to drink. The success of communal motives over individual ones ensures achieving “understanding,” the ultimate goal of the “sitting” event. Russian folk discourse defines problem drinking through two key terms and their clusters: “to drink” (regular consumption driven by dependency) and “to get drunk” (one-time heavy intoxication). Russian government discourse addresses problem drinking mainly though a term cluster that presumes a drinking individual’s imminent move toward alcoholism, with vi irreversible harm done to health, personhood, relationships, career, and Russia as a country. A comparative analysis demonstrates that the official discourse largely ignores the practice conveyed by the folk term cluster “to get drunk,” and portrays most of the problematic consumption through a term cluster close in its meaning to the folk practice “to drink.” vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................... v ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................. x CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction: Russians and Drinking ............................................................................. 1 1.2 Review of Relevant Literatures ..................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 4 1.2.2 Cultural Aspect of Drinking ........................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Studies of Russian Drinking ........................................................................... 7 1.2.4 Russian Culture and Communication .......................................................... 14 1.2.5 Culture in Public Health Communication.................................................... 19 1.2.6 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 27 1.3 Theoretical Perspective: Cultural Discourse Analysis ................................................. 29 1.3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 29 1.3.2 Culture ........................................................................................................ 31 1.3.3 Communication ........................................................................................... 34 1.3.4 Cultural Terms ............................................................................................. 36 1.3.5 Communication Ritual ................................................................................ 39 1.3.6 Ritualistic Corrective Sequence .................................................................. 45 1.3.7 Motives as Strategies for Action ................................................................. 50 1.3.8 Communication Norms ............................................................................... 52 1.3.9 Five Investigative Modes ............................................................................ 55 1.3.10 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 60 1.4 Research Questions and Preview of the Chapters ...................................................... 60 2. METHODOLOGY: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ................................................................ 67 2.1 Data Collection ............................................................................................................ 67 2.1.1 Qualitative Interviews ................................................................................. 67 v 2.1.2 Participant Observation .............................................................................. 73 2.1.3 Movies and TV Series .................................................................................. 75 2.1.4 Video Recordings ........................................................................................ 76 2.1.5 Internet Based Posts and Discussions ......................................................... 77 2.1.6 Government Documents ...........................................................................