Abstract:

Poland belongs to the UE. However, from the point of view of modern history, it is a part of the former Eastern Bloc, politically connected to the Soviet Union (where the state language was Russian, which, like Polish, belongs to a group of Slavic languages). Recently, the country has experienced increasing intensification of migration from Central Asia. Over the last three years, foreigners from Central Asia have submitted 29,000 applications for temporary residence permits, half of which (15,000) concerned citizens of Uzbekistan. In addition, as human rights deteriorate in Central Asia, more people have applied for international protection, as Poland, due to its geographic position, is relatively easy to reach. Some newcomers perceive Poland as a stop on their journeys to the Western EU, while others consider it their permanent destination. Consequently, in addition to labor migration, since 2015, Poland has become a hub of the Tajik opposition. Opposition journalists, artists, and activists from other Central Asian countries are also present in Warsaw.

The primary goal of this presentation is to discuss the process of new network formation and group dynamics among migrants and political refugees from Central Asia who have come to Poland. I apply a primary assumption of social network analysis: social ties function as channels for disseminating material and nonmaterial resources (Everton, 2015). Examining the socio-political landscape and the lived experiences of new migrants elucidates the mechanisms by which networks and groups are established within their newfound environment. The presentation is based on various research material collected in Tajikistan (October 2015, after the crackdown of the opposition in Tajikistan), during my research on religion and migrants in Moscow, interviews with refugees and migrants conducted in Poland, and information obtained from NGOs, the Office for Foreigners in Poland, and other sources. Nevertheless, the collected ethnographic material is still in the preliminary stage of developing a research project.

Everton, S.F., 2015, Networks and Religion. Ties that Bind, Loose, Build Up, and Tear Down, Journal of Social Structure, 16 (10), pp. 1–34.