Global Migration and Illiberalism in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe remain an important hub for migration, with significant implications for both the societies in the region and migrants themselves. Migration can affect illiberal practices by contributing to political polarization, the adoption of restrictive immigration policies, the spread of xenophobia and discrimination, and economic competition. Global Migration and Illiberalism in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe analyses how illiberal states manage migration to absorb resistance and how migration impacts the illiberal political agenda. With this dual perspective, the contributions provide an understanding of how migration becomes a pivotal factor in shaping political discourse, policies, and governance practices within the context of illiberal states. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the studies on Russia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Hungary, Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine show how illiberalism shapes, influences, and enables states to take advantage of migration to secure and advance political goals. Simultaneously, migration processes can challenge authoritarianism and illiberal political goals by fostering diversity, networking, democracy promotion, and political empowerment. Finally, the volume aims to make the conceptualization of illiberalism more relevant for the study of political and administrative practices and ways of thinking in this region. Political decisions are made in structures which are not only shaped by domestic considerations but are also deeply entwined with the globalized markets and the shadow economy that transcend national borders economically and culturally. Furthermore, the examination of illiberalism vis-à-vis migration in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe illustrates the global socio-political tendencies in many other parts of the world.