The African experience in Russia is not one of integration; it is a form of hyper-extended colonialism. Africans in Russia are in a situation peculiarly similar to that of their forebears during the European “civilizing” conquests of the homeland. They must yield their native identity to the dominant Russian culture and language. They are obliged to acclimatize to an unstable and hostile environment. Their successes and failures at becoming Russian form this story.

So goes the working hypothesis…

Michael

info[at]african-russia.net