ERDAM Online Series Heads into Summer Break with Panel on Russian Humanitarian Visa Holders in Germany

Event convenors: Tsypylma Darieva, Tatiana Golova, Domas Lavrukaitis

40 participants joined the final event of the second ERDAM season on July 10 — a panel with Tatiana Kasimova and Vladimir Kozlov (Academic Bridges Lab) titled "Between Exile and Engagement: Russian Humanitarian Visa-Holders in Germany." Since mid-2022, Germany has granted humanitarian visas to Russians facing political repression, especially those with ties to German civil society. Around 3,000 individuals have received this status.

The panel presented findings from the most comprehensive survey of this group to date, covering integration trajectories (language, work, housing) and civic engagement. Most respondents are young, highly educated professionals from Moscow and St. Petersburg, many of whom remain active in Russia-related causes. At the same time, the data show that their ties to Russia gradually weaken, pointing to a shift in identity and belonging.

This season also featured three earlier events. On April 10 Prof. Dr. Olivier Ferrando from the Catholic University of Lyon examined how Russian migrants in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan navigate their ethnic and civic identities amid growing uncertainty. Drawing on interviews from 2023, the talk explored the shifting meaning of Russian citizenship, as well as attitudes toward naturalization in host countries. Ferrando showed how crossing borders often reactivates or reconfigures ethno-national identity among migrants.

On February 20 Prof. Dr. Françoise Daucé and Prof. Dr. Anne le Huérou presented fieldwork from Estonia and Latvia on the reception of displaced Ukrainians. Their talk analyzed spaces and practices of solidarity, focusing on how historical memory and post-Soviet legacies shape hospitality in the Baltic states. They also discussed the role of Russian migrants in these support networks and the social dynamics emerging from shared displacement.

The season opened on 19 September 2024, with a talk by Prof. Dr. Bahar Baser from Durham University on the Russian diaspora in Turkey. In contrast to typical diaspora studies focusing on migrants in Western democracies, this event examined how Russians mobilize politically in the context of an illiberal host state. Baser explored how this group navigates the constraints and opportunities of Turkey’s political landscape, offering broader insights into diaspora behavior in non-democratic settings.

The ERDAM event series continues to enjoy rising popularity. Participant numbers have remained steady (28–45) throughout the season, and an increasing number of people are signing up for the newsletter to stay informed. The coordinating team looks forward to continuing the conversation in future sessions.