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Social Resilience, Law, and Informalities in a Hybrid Political Regime : A Case Study of Uzbek Migrants Navigating the Russian Legal Landscape

Nicoli Aldini, Carlo LU and Urinboyev, Rustam LU (2026) p.41-56
Abstract
In this chapter, we use the notion of social resilience as a heuristic device to explore the shifting boundaries between legality and illegality in the context of migration to a hybrid political regime. Our case study focuses on the creative and multifaceted ways Uzbek migrants navigate the Russian legal landscape. Drawing on the life histories of two Uzbek migrants who relocated to Moscow, we show how, within a hybrid political regime, the boundaries between legality and illegality are continuously negotiated through the interplay between official laws and regulations, their interpretation by public officials, and migrants’ own ingenuity in navigating them. We illustrate how, by strategically mobilizing resources and social networks,... (More)
In this chapter, we use the notion of social resilience as a heuristic device to explore the shifting boundaries between legality and illegality in the context of migration to a hybrid political regime. Our case study focuses on the creative and multifaceted ways Uzbek migrants navigate the Russian legal landscape. Drawing on the life histories of two Uzbek migrants who relocated to Moscow, we show how, within a hybrid political regime, the boundaries between legality and illegality are continuously negotiated through the interplay between official laws and regulations, their interpretation by public officials, and migrants’ own ingenuity in navigating them. We illustrate how, by strategically mobilizing resources and social networks, Uzbek migrants sustain their lives within a legal environment that often pushes them toward illegality, yet still manage – at least ostensibly – to legalize their stay. The chapter reveals that, in the context of migration to a hybrid political regime, the blurred boundaries between legality and illegality emerge from the interplay between institutional ambiguity and a migrant’s agentic capacity to navigate an uncertain legal environment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Social Resilience : Critical Responses to Challenges and Change - Critical Responses to Challenges and Change
editor
Kauko, Sara ; Nordbeck, Patric C. and Qamar, Azher H.
pages
41 - 56
publisher
Vernon Press
ISBN
979-8-2616-0063-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24f9e8f6-8278-4e8b-b5c8-5d2a13dd48a3
date added to LUP
2026-05-11 09:35:24
date last changed
2026-05-21 15:57:06
@inbook{24f9e8f6-8278-4e8b-b5c8-5d2a13dd48a3,
  abstract     = {{In this chapter, we use the notion of social resilience as a heuristic device to explore the shifting boundaries between legality and illegality in the context of migration to a hybrid political regime. Our case study focuses on the creative and multifaceted ways Uzbek migrants navigate the Russian legal landscape. Drawing on the life histories of two Uzbek migrants who relocated to Moscow, we show how, within a hybrid political regime, the boundaries between legality and illegality are continuously negotiated through the interplay between official laws and regulations, their interpretation by public officials, and migrants’ own ingenuity in navigating them. We illustrate how, by strategically mobilizing resources and social networks, Uzbek migrants sustain their lives within a legal environment that often pushes them toward illegality, yet still manage – at least ostensibly – to legalize their stay. The chapter reveals that, in the context of migration to a hybrid political regime, the blurred boundaries between legality and illegality emerge from the interplay between institutional ambiguity and a migrant’s agentic capacity to navigate an uncertain legal environment.}},
  author       = {{Nicoli Aldini, Carlo and Urinboyev, Rustam}},
  booktitle    = {{Social Resilience : Critical Responses to Challenges and Change}},
  editor       = {{Kauko, Sara and Nordbeck, Patric C. and Qamar, Azher H.}},
  isbn         = {{979-8-2616-0063-3}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{41--56}},
  publisher    = {{Vernon Press}},
  title        = {{Social Resilience, Law, and Informalities in a Hybrid Political Regime : A Case Study of Uzbek Migrants Navigating the Russian Legal Landscape}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}