Globalization, conflict discourse, and Jewish identity in an Israeli Russian-speaking online community

Abstract Using the frameworks of (im)politeness and identity (Garces-Conejos Blitvich and Sifianou, 2017), this article examines multi-participant polylogal conflict discourse between Jewish ex-Soviet migrants residing in different countries. For Russian-speaking ex-Soviet migrants, Jewish identity is important and at the same time often hotly contested. Migrants use a variety of impoliteness strategies, which are analyzed using Culpeper's 1996 classic impoliteness framework as modified by Dobs and Garces-Conejos Blitvich (2013). Specific impoliteness strategies are then related to the migrants' transnational identities. I argue that the choice of linguistic code is crucial for both the construction of conflict and for identity work in a globalized context. Migrants have multiple linguistic choices at their disposal, both hegemonic and global (Modern Standard Russian; Hebrew), and non-hegemonic, specifically the highly localized immigrant vernacular, Israeli Russian. I argue that refraining from sharing this common vernacular constitutes an Ignore, Snub the Other impoliteness strategy where Israel-based forum members disaffiliate from a Moscow-based forum member.