“Gateways of Mobility” in Imperial Russia: Interaction with Migrants of Other Ethnicities (based on the example of the Chinese)

This article examines the interactions between migrants and Russian authorities, using the example of the Chinese.The author focuses on mobility hubs or gateways.Shenk's concept of "gateways of transcontinental migration" serves as a research lens, examining checkpoints and interactions at key transportation hubs.The narrative focuses on two main locations: resettlement centers and the Millionka Chinese quarter in Vladivostok.Drawing on documents from the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF) and the United State Archives of the Chelyabinsk Region (OGACHO), as well as periodicals, this article analyzes the perspective on interactions with Chinese migrants in these locations.Given the complex context of interaction, on the one hand, the Chinese were perceived as a faceless actor in mobility processes (one of many) or as a necessary labor force, while on the other, the Chinese were seen as a source of numerous sanitary risks and social problems caused by the situation in the host society.Government officials often emphasized problems of unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and deviant behavior in their observations, which, whether consciously or not, nevertheless led to a certain dehumanization of migrants.The experience of everyday interaction in the context of such "mobility gateways" could have long-term consequences for defining the contexts of intergroup (interethnic) relations, identifying vectors for implementing state policy toward migrant groups, and shaping ethnic stereotypes in Russia in the early XXth century.