Migration and Its Discontents in Central Asia: The Case of Returning Tajikistani ‘Gastarbeiters’

Abstract

This thesis focused on the ‘gastarbeiters-returnees’ of the Republic of Tajikistan, those Tajikistani economic migrants (nearly all working in the Russian Federation) who returned to Tajikistan since the most recent and ongoing economic downturn in Russia as of 2014. The thesis concentrated on the actions and rhetoric of the government of Tajikistan toward the well-being of such returnees and this is interested in the views and opinions of the returnees themselves vis-a-vis their social and economic predicaments. The thesis tested three hypotheses dealing with (i) the ‘virtuality’ of actions (not) taken by the Tajik authorities in improving the reintegration processes in Tajikistan, (ii) the not-only-economic incentives of Tajikistan citizens to migrate abroad, and (iii) absence of the desire of the Tajik state to keep labour migrant returnees in the country due to potential threats. Mentioned hypotheses were tested through the prism of ‘virtual politics’ theory and ‘chain migration’ concept. Data collection of the thesis was via interviews with experts, government official and with selected Tajik labour migrant returnees. Nowadays labour migration in Tajikistan is a major problem. Moreover, the rapidly growing level of returnees leads the local population and the government in shock. Therefore, it was interesting to analyze the views of labour migrant returnees and to compare them with the state actions. The study determined that cooperation between ex-gastarbeiters and the government happen just before political events, when government need strong support of such a big amount of people. However, the labour migrants are tired of the absence of their rights in the country and based on the number of various factors some of them are willing to return to Russia. In addition, toward the returnees state has a negative attitude, because of the possible threats, however the migrants are against such suspicions. The sole thing they are waiting for now, is an amnesty and new chances.