Securitization in Autocratic Settings: Framing Migrants as Threats in Contemporary Russia

This article examines how and why labor migration has been framed as a security threat in contemporary Russia. Drawing on securitization theory, the study traces major shifts in Russia’s public discourse, policy, and legislation on migration. It analyzes both discursive and non-discursive mechanisms of securitization, identifying key actors, their goals, referent objects, and targeted audiences involved in securitization moves. This paper contributes to the existing literature by reevaluating the theoretical assumptions of the securitization framework, which is typically rooted in democratic settings, for their application in autocratic contexts.