the new russian nationalismcops see everything, know everything. You see it on the television –
every day they are locked up, and people still continue to pay for
protection... what is it with these people? (Man, aged 66, secondary
education, retired, now watchman)In analysing narratives of ‘corruption’ a further element also
requires attention. All respondents, from business people to teach-
ers, from elderly pensioners to yesterday’s students, clearly picture
the schemes for recruiting migrants that enrich the many partici-
pants in this structure: ‘And they are brought here for this, to be
defrauded and line the pockets [of those who bring migrants]’
(Man, aged 66, secondary education, retired, now watchman).
Migrants are seen as ‘embedded’ (not by their own volition) in
this system, which arose long before they appeared. Moreover,
usually nobody blames the migrants themselves. So, for example,
the respondents who related attempts to get work – either by them-
selves or by acquaintances – and had been unsuccessful because
they were Muscovites and not migrants (who could be paid less),
blamed the established system for this: ‘Every Muscovite wants to
work officially, but now no one wants to employ you officially,
[there’s] a lot of tax, really a lot’ (Woman, aged 35, secondary
education, hairdresser).
Besides corruption, the second ‘background factor’ that is often
intertwined with the theme of migration and defining attitudes
towards the latter fits within the concept of ‘defended neighbour-
hood theory’ (Bevelander and Otterbeck 2010: 407). During
periods of rapid changes in local living conditions (at city, micro-
region or estate level), people lose the sense of habitualness, of
being comfortable in their living environment. These changes have
at least two constituents: the transformation of the built environ-
ment, and the appearance of a multitude of new people to whom
they have not grown accustomed. The fragment of an interview
below shows how both themes are interwoven in the consciousness
of the respondent, a resident of one of Moscow’s satellite towns:
I. And what has changed, as regards appearance, generally?
R. Of those people there is practically no one left... and now, you
yourself know, what sort of people are there.