RUSSIANS in the near abroad do not generally
resort to violence in order to express grievances
related to post-Soviet nationalization processes. Their
reactions to adverse changes include emigration, protest,
and acceptance, but their responses to inimical elements
of post-Soviet nationalization are not
uniform—the degree of Russian exit, voice, and loyalty
varies across Sovietsuccessorstates.
1 For example,
there is a much lower rate of post-Soviet Russian emigration
from Latvia, a state that has implemented exceptionally
antagonistic nationalization policies, than
from Kyrgyzstan, a state that has implemented more
accommodating nationalization policies.
Many scholars reason that Russian emigration from
Soviet successor states is motivated by discriminatory
policies and practices in those states. Rogers Brubaker,
for instance, claims that economic competition based
on ethnicity has contributed to the exit of Russiansfrom
the Soviet southern tier and most likely will continue to
do so in the future.2 Similarly, David Laitin argues that
aspects of Kazakh nationalization that focus on job protection
for ethnic Kazakhs motivate Russian emigration
from Kazakhstan.