Publication

Against the backdrop of the violent riots in the Biryulyovo district of Moscow in October 2013, this edition examines the growth of migrant-related xenophobia in Russia. The first article suggests that the riots in Biryulyovo can be seen as a turning point in the history of xenophobia in Russia, with such inter-ethnic violence playing an increasingly important political role in reshaping Russia’s national identity. The second article argues that while both the regime and opposition figures alike assert that there are too many “foreigners”, the terms of popular discourse on this issue are often confused.