ABSTRACT

Many aspects of labor migration to Russia are consistent with different strands of general social science theories of migration. We illustrate how based on an account of migrant experiences drawn from focus groups we conducted with return migrants in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. Participants discussed their motives for migrating, experiences in Russia, and the impact on their views of Russia. In contrast to the overwhelmingly negative portrayals that predominate in prior accounts, they report a diverse set of experiences. For many, appreciation for income earned in Russia is the most salient aspect of their time there, outweighing more negative aspects. Their views of Russia are generally positive, in part due to their perceptions of where they stand in Russia’s ethnic hierarchies. These findings suggest that Russia’s reputation benefits from migration through what we call geopolitical remittances.

摘要

劳务移民到俄罗斯的许多方面与一般社会科学移民理论的不同方面是一致的。我们将根据对吉尔吉斯斯坦和乌克兰回返移民的焦点小组的移民经验进行说明。与会者讨论了他们的迁移动机，在俄罗斯的经历以及对他们的俄罗斯看法的影响。与以前的报告中普遍存在的绝大多数负面描述相反，他们报告了各种各样的经验。对于许多人来说，在俄罗斯所获得的收入升值是他们当时最显着的方面，超过了更多负面方面。他们对俄罗斯的看法总体上是积极的，部分是由于他们对自己在俄罗斯种族等级制中的地位的看法。地缘政治汇款。