Exotic beauty, mail-order bride, secret agent: the stereotyped experiences of Russian women immigrating to the United States

Abstract

ABSTRACT The researchers interviewed 16 women about their experiences immigrating from the Russian Federation to the United States. An interpretive analysis of these women's stories revealed three strategies employed during the immigration process. This analysis also revealed how these women perceived agency and how perceptions varied depending on the available communication and social affordances. These in-depth interviews provide new insights about the challenges women face when immigrating from Russia. Participants described that they felt stereotyped in diverse ways. Some described how many Americans, and some Russians, perceived all women from Russia as mail-order brides. Participants also reported other ascribed labels, often drawn from stereotypical Russian tropes (e.g. Secret Agent). These women explained how these stereotypes influenced their ability to adapt to the United States and, in turn, the immigration strategies they employed. A discussion of how these findings contribute to feminist standpoint theory, sensemaking, and agency concludes the paper.