Anti-immigrant mobilization in Russia's regions: local movements and framing processes

Abstract

This article argues that increased anti-immigrant mobilization (the targeting of ethnic migrants to limit their rights and/or promote their resettlement) in Russia's regions is a consequence of local social movements adopting an anti-immigrant frame as part of their efforts to promote recruitment, acquire resources, and advance their movement's particular cause. Using the cases of Sverdlovsk's Gorod Bez Narkotikov (City Without Drugs) and Krasnodar's Cossack groups, it develops the argument and demonstrates specific ways in which an antiimmigrant frame is taken up by local movements. As a complement to existing studies of anti-immigrant sentiment or far right ideology, these cases highlight the practical politics of mobilizing support for anti-immigration causes in contemporary Russia.

Does Origin Matter? Ethnic Group Position and Attitudes Toward Immigrants: The Case of Russia

“…This hierarchy reflects the political dominance of highly positioned Russians and other Slavic peoples (Ukrainians, Belarusians), while the Caucasian and Central Asian minority groups have belonged to systematically rejected out-groups (Bessudnov 2016;Hagendoorn et al 1998;Popova and Osipova 2013). Importantly, internal migrants representing the titular nations of the North Caucasus republics, despite being Russian citizens, become targets of hostile attitudes throughout other Russian regions (Laruelle 2010;Bessudnov 2016;Grigoryan 2016;Markowitz and Peshkova 2016). This is because a decisive factor shaping xenophobia in Russia is ethnic belonging, not citizenship or country of origin (Popova and Osipova 2013).…”

“…Inclusion of North Caucasian ethnic groups is symptomatic. It points to the extension of an anti-immigrant frame to internal migrants in Russia (Markowitz and Peshkova 2016).…”

“…2 The specific ethnic groups named in parentheses were listed in the survey questionnaire.Inclusion of North Caucasian ethnic groups is symptomatic. It points to the extension of an anti-immigrant frame to internal migrants in Russia(Markowitz and Peshkova 2016).…”

Stavropol as “Russia’s Kosovo”? Nationalist mobilization and public response in a Russian region

“…This article brings in the regional dimension. Additionally, whereas the mobilization of xenophobia and the role of migrants as the new "Other" in Russian identity discourse have been explored (Pain 2007;Alexseev 2010b;Laruelle 2010;Mukomel' 2011;Kolstø and Blakkisrud 2016;Markowitz and Peshkova 2016), we further develop the nationalism-migrant nexus by exploring the effect of internal migration on nationalist mobilization. Our aim is twofold: to explore the regional dimension of Russian ethnonationalist discourse through a case study of a regional agenda; and, drawing on survey data, to establish whether this discourse is reflected in local attitudes toward migrants and migration.2…”