Moldavian diaspora in Belarus: population dynamics, resettlement and reasons for relocation

Abstract

This article, for the first time in ethnological science, examines the stages of the formation of the Moldovan diaspora in Belarus: population dynamics, resettlement and reasons for resettlement. It is noted that by type it belongs to modern diasporas and is characterized by dispersed living. The author identified the stages of formation of the Moldovan diaspora (Soviet and post-Soviet) and examined the number of Moldovans in various regions of Belarus. It is concluded that Moldovans who moved to Belarus during these periods are characterized by certain differences. It has been established that the increase in their numbers during the Soviet period was a consequence of inter-republican migration and mixed marriages. The resettlement of Moldovans in the post-Soviet period had the nature of labor migration. The majority of representatives of this wave of migrants retain Moldovan citizenship. A peculiarity of this period is that among the settlers there were many monoethnic families. This research was carried out by the author within the framework of cultural anthropology. The author widely draws on statistical data and materials from field ethnosociological research conducted by him in Minsk and other regions of Belarus in 2020–2023. In this article, field research materials are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time.