RECONFIGURING IDENTITY UNDER MIGRATION: THE CASE OF THE GAGAUZ COMMUNITY IN BESSARABIA

Abstract

Migration is one of the defining social processes of the 21st century, profoundly transforming not only demographic structures but also the meanings of identity and belonging. This study examines the relationship between migration and national identity through the empirical case of the Gagauz community in Bessarabia. Building on contemporary sociological theories that conceptualize identity as a dynamic and socially constructed phenomenon, the research integrates theoretical perspectives with qualitative empirical data. The analysis is based on 22 in-depth interviews conducted with representatives of the Gagauz community and focuses on the mechanisms through which ethno cultural identity is constructed, maintained, and transformed in conditions of migration. The findings demonstrate that identity is not eroded by migration but reorganized through a set of interconnected practices, including collective memory, folklore, ritual life, music, and intergenerational transmission. Particular attention is given to the role of folklore as a framework of collective memory, which functions as a substitute for territorial continuity in migrant contexts. Cultural practices emerge as central mechanisms for reproducing a sense of belonging, while contemporary processes such as mobility, institutionalization of tradition, and media influence lead to adaptive transformations rather than cultural decline. The study confirms that migrant communities can sustain strong forms of identity through symbolic and practice-based mechanisms, supporting the concept of the “imagined community” and the role of collective memory in identity formation. It argues that migration should be understood not as a threat to identity, but as a condition that reveals its dynamic, processual, and socially constructed nature.