ABSTRACT
There used to be a time in the Soviet Union when one’s identity was a hard and fast social fact. Children were born, named and registered according to sex, date, place of birth and the nationality of their parents. At age 16, when they obtained citizenship and their identity documents, these facts were confirmed. Who you were was what you would always be, and one’s particular data — especially one’s nationality — played a large role in determining professional opportunities and one’s future lifestyle.
