Introduction

The problem of sociocultural trauma and the strategies to overcome it have become ingrained in scientific discourse. With respect to studying social changes, the medical term trauma was first used by sociologists (Eyerman 2013, 121-138; Alexander 2012, 5-40; Merton 1966, 299-313; Khlevnyuk & Giesen 2010, 112-117; Sztompka 2001, 6-16; Smelser 2004, 31-59). At present, the terms social trauma and cultural trauma are widely used by historians and culturologists (Aarelaid-Tart 2004, 63-72; Assmann 2014; Koposov 2011). According to Lorina Repina, “the concept relation ‘memory – identity – trauma’ is now one of the top requested tools of analysis in social sciences and humanities” (Repina 2012, 9). It should be noted that scientific works devoted to the problems of historical memory and coping with sociocultural trauma are more focused on theoretical, conceptual and methodological constructs (Eyerman 2013, 121-138; Assmann 2014; Sztompka 2001, 6-16). In Russia, the channels aiming to build the historical memory and strategies of overcoming the sociocultural trauma of generations are at an early stage of study. The areas of study are consistent with the largest social catastrophies of the 20th century (Oushakine & Trubina, 2009), with special attention being paid to the mass repressions in the USSR in the 1930s to 1940s.