everyday nationalism: perceptions of migrantsAndres 2013; Martinovic ́ 2013). As for gender, some authors
discuss the influence of gender within the framework of the
concept of ‘cultural marginality’. It is suggested that women,
like members of other (potentially) discriminated- against groups
(members of religious minorities, children of mixed marriages),
view migrants more positively. However, not all researchers
support this hypothesis.
Similarly, the relationship between migrantophobia and various
indicators of the socio- economic position of individuals is also
open to debate. Several works fail to find significant relationships,
and have also shown that respondents do not conceive of migra-
tion in terms of ‘economic competition’ (see, for example, Hayes
and Dowds 2006; Escandell and Ceobanu 2009; Rustenbach
2010; Waldinger 2010; Bilodeau and Fadol 2011; Careja and
Andres 2013).
No specific questions about potential economic competition
from migrants were posed in the NEORUSS survey. According
to the interview materials, respondents are not particularly pre-
occupied with this issue. Their comments reveal why there is
no sense of competition for workplaces between Muscovites (as
well as newcomers from the other regions of Russia) and labour
migrants: this hinges on the division of labour that has arisen in
the city, entirely in line with the international pattern: ‘Because of
the size, age, education and skills of the native population, there is
a demand for migrant workers in specific jobs and sectors. These
are mostly low- skilled and labour- intensive jobs – often classi-
fied as 3D: dirty, dangerous and demeaning’ (Tunon and Baruah
2012: 152).
Noting this factor, respondents stress the different motivations
of Muscovites and ‘migrants’:
I. Some people think that migrants take work away from Russians. Do
you agree with that?
R. If Russians worked in those lines of work for that money, then
nobody would take anything away because there would be no posi-
tions open. But a Russian who thinks he’s mighty clever won’t go to
work... won’t go to work for 15 thousand [roubles] to mix concrete
on a building site, to carry bricks or work as a fitter- welder... Better