Ethnic communities in search of their place: everyday life and leisure of migrants from Central Asia in Far Eastern cities

Scientific Article
UDC 316.4+314.7+304.3+379.8
DOI 10.3792/3033-6015-2025-2-79-86

ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN SEARCH OF THEIR PLACE: EVERYDAY LIFE AND
LEISURE OF MIGRANTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA IN FAR EASTERN CITIES

Vinokurova Anna Viktorovna – Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Docent, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences of the School of Arts and Humanities, Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russia). ORCID: 0000-0001-6415-4680. E-mail: vinokurova77@mail.ru.
Ardalyanova Anna Yuryevna – Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences of the School of Arts and Humanities, Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russia). ORCID: 0000-0002-3019-9626. E-mail: ardalyanova.ayu@dvfu.ru.

Migration from Central Asian countries plays an increasingly significant role not only in demographic dynamics but also in the transformation of urban everyday life in the Russian Far East. Guided by this premise, in this article we attempt to examine how migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan use the urban space of the Far East, and to identify the specifics of «own» and «other» places in their everyday practices. The study is based on qualitative methodology, with the main method of empirical data collection being semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the obtained materials was conducted in the logic of grounded theory, drawing on R. Oldenburg’s concept of the «third place» and F. Barth’s «us and them» framework. It was found that «own» places (ethnic cafés, temporary gathering spaces) serve the function of maintaining identity, mutual assistance, and social adaptation. «Other» places (shopping and entertainment centers, European-style cafés) become arenas of integration, particularly for youth and migrant families. The results we obtained allow for a better understanding of the role of urban spaces in shaping intercultural connections in the Far East.
Keywords: migration processes, ethnic migrants, everyday practices, leisure, «third place», city, the Russian Far East, Central Asian countries.

IN SEARCH OF BELONGING: EVERYDAY PRACTICES AND LEISURE
OF ETHNIC MIGRANTS IN THE FAR EASTERN RUSSIAN CITIES

Migration from Central Asian countries plays an increasingly significant role not only in demographic dynamics but also in the transformation of urban everyday life in the Russian Far East. Guided by this premise, the present article examines how migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan engage with urban spaces in the Far East, and identifies the specific features of “own” and “other” places in their everyday practices. The study relies on a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured, non-formalized interviews serving as the primary method of data collection. The analysis was conducted in the logic of grounded theory, drawing upon R. Oldenburg’s concept of the “third place” and F. Barth’s framework of “us” and “them”. The findings demonstrate that “own” places (ethnic cafés, temporary gathering spaces) serve as crucial venues for sustaining identity, mutual support, and social adaptation. In contrast, “other” places (shopping and entertainment centers, European-style cafés) emerge as arenas of integration, particularly for youth and migrant families. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of urban spaces in shaping intercultural connections in the Russian Far East.
Keywords: migration processes, ethnic migrants, everyday practices, leisure, “third place”, city, the Russian Far East, Central Asian countries.