Ambiguous Inclusion: Transforming Migrants into Compatriots on Russia's Border with China

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Russia is the fourth most popular migration destination, and many of those migrating from other post-Soviet countries qualify for expedited citizenship because they speak Russian. However, many of these “Russian compatriots” struggle to feel like they are part of Russia. In this talk, Title VIII Research Scholar Lauren Woodard presents findings from her draft book manuscript, Ambiguous Inclusion, about how migrants and officials negotiate Russia’s migration policies on its border with China, including Russia's Resettlement of Compatriots Program. Based on 13 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Moscow and Vladivostok between 2015 and 2017, Woodard will show how debates about nationality, language, and culture reproduce and mask racial hierarchies despite Soviet era commitments to anti-colonialism and anti-racism.