The article analyzes aspects of the cultural self-presentation of the image of Tajiks and cultural codes in the «Asia-Plus» publication and Russian media. It argues that, within Tajikistan’s media landscape, coverage of topics related to Russia and its citizens focuses primarily on language, literature, historical memory, cultural values and traditions, as well as public and civic life. However, in Russian media, Tajik citizens most frequently appear in reports concerning labor migration, legislative changes, inspections, compliance with migration regulations, and security issues. It is noted that a comparison of coverage across two media outlets reveals differences in how Tajiks are portrayed. A brief analysis conducted by RIA Novosti shows that 61.1% of stories about migrants in Russia are negative in tone, while 6.7% are positive. Yet, this statistic is significant primarily as part of a broader picture.
Tajiks; cultural self-presentation; media space; immigrant; Asia-Plus publication, Russian media
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13.Appendix 1. Narrative analysis of RIA Novosti publications containing the word “migrant” in 2024. Author’s analytical sample: 106 publications.
14.Analytical table of Asia-Plus publications on migration and migrants, including headline, date, brief excerpt, cultural code, agency, tone, and cultural depth. The article uses nine articles from 2024–2025.