Uzbeks in Russia: Practices of adaptation in a foreign language environment

The article considers the problems of adaptation of the Uzbek migrants in Russia. The authors analyze mechanisms of entering the other ethnic environment, strategies of migrants’ economic adaptation and ethno-cultural self-preservation on the example of the Uzbek diaspora in the Udmurt Republic. The article describes the practices of intercultural and interpersonal interaction between migrants and the host community in the region, underlining that the elements of traditional culture, religion, and social networks with compatriots are the main factors of the successful adaptation of Uzbeks in Russia. The feeling of unity with one’s people guarantees the representatives of diaspora a positive perception of the world, expands and strengthens social ties with members of the ethnic group. The authors believe that the historical experience of the coexistence under the ethnic and religious diversity of the region is an important condition for a balanced cross-cultural communication with the “other”; and, considering the problems of adaptation of migrants to the cultural environment, introduce their own definition of the notion “adaptation of migrants” that includes the process of establishing relationships between an individual and the social environment, in the course of which the migrant worker, according to his needs, learns and accepts social and cultural characteristics of the host community, takes them into account in his activities; and the society, in its turn, presents claims to migrants according to the changing social reality.