Roles and Identity

A Teaching Sequence with Three Songs by Manizha

Abstract

While the multiethnicity of the Russian Federation has been somewhat represented in textbooks—often with a folkloristic emphasis—female roles have largely been neglected. This teaching unit integrates both facets by analyzing three songs by Tajik-Russian artist Manizha, exploring women’s images as well as their self- and external perceptions from various perspectives:

• Russian Woman (Level A2): This song addresses the breaking free from traditional female roles and features a Tajik-descended singer discussing the Russian female image.
• Tummy (Level A2): This song focuses on the self- and external perceptions of the female body.
• Nedoslavjanka (Level B1(+)/B2): This song questions the identity of people with a migration background, addressing stereotypes and the feeling of cultural non-belonging.

This unit is suitable for middle and high school levels, as well as university language classes. Designed in a modular format, it allows for the selection and integration of individual songs into the classroom. The varying difficulty levels support differentiated learning. Russian Woman and Tummy include English lyrics, making them useful for intercomprehension tasks or cross-curricular projects. Innovative, learner-activating materials guide students in reflecting on their own body image and engaging with multicultural heritage through the interplay of lyrics and visual elements in the music videos.