Soviet nationality policies are frequently cited to explain national conflicts that arose during and after the dissolution of the USSR. Yet, these studies often focus on nationality policies from the opening decades of the Soviet Union, neglecting the specificities of minority life after the 1930s. Drawing on research conducted in three sub-republic (non-titular) minority communities, Dr. Goff will show how minority rights were continuously contested in the USSR and explain how differentiation among Soviet nationality categories generated contradictory expectations and experiences with lasting consequences.