Review by Choice Review
This work focuses on the management of migration in Russia, focusing specifically on the years since 2007. Schenk (Nazarbayev Univ., Kazakhstan) argues that "the state manages conflicting demands from society (based on migration myths), the economy (owing to the demographic crisis), and the political and personal interests of elites by creating restrictive control mechanisms that force many migrants into the informal sector, creating a scarcity of legal labor." Specific attention is given to the use of work permit quotas and labor patents. Case studies of Moscow, Sverdlovsk, and Krasnodar detail the way migration policy is embedded in personal networks and patronage. Extensive fieldwork and substantive interviews give the work a deep grounding and intellectual depth. Some readers might want more discussion of how political leaders use migration myths for their own purposes. Overall, this book is an important addition to the work on migration policy, Russian policy making more broadly, and the importance of multilevel analyses. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students through faculty. --Laura J. Roselle, Elon University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
