Russian Diaspora and the Sharing Economy

The Russian culture has robust traditions of sharing known as blat networks that are heavily based upon the exchange of goods, services, and other commodities. These networks are particularly germane in the community of illegal Russian immigrants who use this form of cultural capital to generate income despite their residency status in the United States. This alternative economy is further enhanced via sharing economy platforms such as Air BnB and Uber. These sharing economy platforms have transformed understandings of the relationship between material possessions and the extended self, and have created a space for play between official immigration and employment policies, and the precarious reality of the Russian immigrant. This article presents two layered account interviews, one from a Russian Air BnB host, and another from an Uber driver to illustrate the complex symbiosis between sharing economy platforms and the Russian immigrant community.