New book shines a light on Central Asian migration here in Australia and across continents

A groundbreaking new volume is bringing fresh perspectives to the study of migration from Central Asia, highlighting the experiences, aspirations and challenges of communities that have established lives across Australia, Japan and Scandinavia. 

Entitled Bridges Across Borders, and published by Palgrave Macmillan, the new publication presents one of the first comparative examinations of contemporary Central Asian migration. The volume grew out of a workshop hosted by the ANU’s Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS) in September 2024, with support from the ANU Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS).

Bringing together contributions from ANU scholars and international collaborators, the book explores how Central Asian migrants navigate questions of identity, belonging, mobility and integration in societies far from their countries of origin. Drawing on rich ethnographic research and lived experiences, the volume offers new insights into an increasingly important yet under-researched migration corridor. Importantly, the collection reflects a strong commitment to amplifying the voices of migrants from Central Asia within the on-going global conversation about the flow of people across the world.

ANU scholars feature prominently in the volume with contributions from Dr Elizabeth Yar (School of Culture, History and Language), Dr Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva (the National Security College) and Gulshat Rozyyeva (Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies). The series was co-edited by Associate Professor Kirill Nourzhanov who heads up the Central Asia program at ANU.

Dr Ubaydullaeva’s chapter, entitled Navigating Belonging and Identity, examines the experiences of female migrants from Central Asia here in Australia, who statistically represent only a modest migratory segment, but are nonetheless a significant yet under-research component of our migrant community. Dr Yar’s innovative contribution asks the reader to re-think of how migrants are incorporated into the body politic, especially at a time of heightened concerns such as the recent pandemic. The impact of the COVID-19 is further examined by CAIS PhD scholar Rozyyeva in her chapter analysing the migration patterns of Turkmens since 2020 and their adaptive responses to restrictive state policies as well as global uncertainties.

Editors of the volume emphasise that the book's strength lies in its cross-disciplinary approach. Combining perspectives from anthropology, sociology, migration studies, political science and area studies, Bridges Across Borders demonstrates how collaborative research can deepen our understanding of complex global migration processes while remaining attentive to the experiences of individuals and communities.

The publication showcases ANU's growing role as an international hub for research on Central Asia and transnational mobility. By fostering dialogue between senior scholars and the next generation of researchers, the project highlights the University's commitment to supporting innovative and inclusive scholarship.

As migration continues to reshape societies around the world, Bridges Across Borders offers a timely contribution to debates about mobility, belonging and cultural exchange. 

Bridges Across Borders is published by Palgrave Macmillan and is available for purchase here.