everyday nationalism: perceptions of migrantsdisturbance and more as ordinary people with individual char-
acteristics. In turn, the migrants themselves (and the researchers)
may link this apprehension towards ‘newcomers’ with already
developed anti- migrant sentiments, and draw conclusions about
an unfriendly environment for migrants. If, however, there were
regular contacts between local residents and migrants, spontane-
ous or organised, involving them in some sort of communal activ-
ity with neighbours connected with community safety, resolving
communal problems, creating a space for shared leisure, this could
create the basis for reducing migrantophobia and surmounting
negative stereotypes about ‘migrants in general’.
Our material, however, suggests the presence of selectivity in the
views that Muscovites hold about various migrants. One criterion
is ethno- cultural. Thus, for example, in a focus group organised by
one of the authors and consisting of young male Muscovites from
one housing estate, participants demonstrated differing attitudes
to migrants from Central Asia and from regions of the North
Caucasus. Briefly put, the presence of migrants from Central Asia
in Moscow did not bother the participants, since they had come
to work, that is, to be ‘like us’, and did not display arrogance. But
‘kavkaztsy’ (people from the Caucasus), participants felt, wanted
to be ‘above us’ and to ‘humiliate us’. As Russian citizens they
have certain rights, and they use them in order to command a
special position, according to the focus group participants. But
‘Tajiks’ come in order to earn that same status ‘that we have’.
The second criterion is social status. Respondents who talked
about their close relationships with migrants (neighbours, a
daughter’s girlfriend and so forth) stressed that these people –
despite having come from countries in Central Asia and the
Caucasus – are ‘just like us’ (as to the length of time having lived
in Russia, having a stable position and a respected profession and
so forth). This topic, which touches on the important issue of the
relationship between ethnic and social divisions in post- Soviet
societies, requires further investigation.