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Abstract

After a decade of promoting Belt and Road initiatives, the previous massive investments in infrastructure and hardware projects have gradually transitioned to "small and exquisite" projects, attempting to provide more visible and on-the-ground effects in the participating countries. Accordingly, Chinese migrants in the context of BRI have appeared to have more diversified profiles, while the current academic discussion on this is still developing. This ongoing research refers to the aspiration capabilities framework for explaining migration as an intrinsic part of broader social processes. The domestic transition occurring within China motivates a new wave of Chinese migrants to Central Asian countries, facilitated by more lenient migration regimes and open border policies. Escaping the highly competitive domestic environment, or "involution", is the primary motive for individuals, including international students, investors, and entrepreneurs, to come to Central Asia to seek new opportunities. The paper is based on desk research and a scoping review of existing studies on cross-border mobility between China and Central Asian countries. It attempts to identify the specific new features of migratory determinants among the new destination countries, and explain China's rising role in the formation of the latest global migration trends.

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The paper focuses on how gender-related cultural and social norms, as well as structural context(s), shape labor migration and possibilities of (re)migration of Uzbek women. The data comes from secondary sources and ongoing fieldwork on Uzbek women's labor migration, with a particular focus on their experiences, plans, and narratives about returning to Uzbekistan. The paper introduces theoretical approaches to gender in migration, as well as the key findings of a body of research that analyzes the gender aspects of labor migration from Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. It will also overview the methodology and primary findings of the ongoing interviews with Uzbek migrant women. The paper aims to identify how gender-related cultural and social norms influence how women in Uzbekistan plan, experience, and recount their migration and (possible) remigration to Uzbekistan. The data is collected and presentation is prepared in the framework of the of research and training project “MARS: Non-Western Migration Regimes in a Global Perspective” funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe MSCA Staff Exchange Program (project number 101130177).

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This article examines the bureaucratic aspects of repatriation policy in Kazakhstan, focusing on the everyday challenges faced by ethnic Kazakhs (Qandas) returning to their historical homeland. Repatriation has been positioned as a core component of the state’s nation-building and demographic management strategy in the post-Soviet period. However, the official rhetoric of return and integration masks complex and often contradictory administrative practices that shapes the trajectories of returnees’ inclusion in the legal and social spaces of the state.

The article views bureaucratic mechanisms not as neutral administrative procedures, but as institutional instruments for selecting and managing migration. Based on field research conducted in the Zhetysu region in 2023–2024, as well as an analysis of the legislative framework, regulatory documents, and content analysis of media materials, the study analyzes the multi-layered interaction between Qandas, local government, and national institutions. It reveals gaps between policy development and implementation at the local level, demonstrating how formal and informal practices influence the experiences of repatriates and their integration process.

It is argued that bureaucratization not only delays and complicates access to legal status, but also contributes to the formation of unequal access to state-provided resources, reinforcing structural inequalities and social hierarchy in Kazakhstani society. By highlighting the gap between formal policies and local practices, the paper contributes to understanding how repatriation functions as both a symbolic and highly administrative project within the broader framework of post-Soviet governance and identity politics.