Determinants and Levels of Social Integration of Reluctant Migrants in Ukrainian Society

Abstract

The paper examines the main determinants of social integration of reluctant migrants, analyzes data from previous studies concerning adaptation and integration of internally displaced persons in Ukraine, compares factors that contribute to the integration and adaptation of reluctant migrants, and discusses indicators of various levels of adaptation (high, medium and low). The analysis has shown that the main factors hindering the integration of reluctant migrants are the following: the unsolved housing problem for many migrants; low income insufficient for a comfortable life; restrictions on voting rights, which is inherent for the status of internally displaced persons. As criteria of distinction, we use the following grounds: the availability of housing; satisfaction with living conditions; type of employment; qualification compliance with the needs of the local market; income level; citizenship or reluctant migrant status; access to basic social benefits; social contacts with local people; duration of stay in a new place of residence; life satisfaction; satisfaction with the relationship with the new environment; optimistic assessment of the life situation; sense of belonging to a host society; subjective assessment of the attitude of the host society towards migrants. Analysis of the situation shows a significant discrepancy in the level of adaptation among different groups of reluctant migrants. At the same time, reluctant migrants from the zone of military conflict in the Donbass have almost the same conditions after resettlement, which are provided by the homeland and the host communities. This allows one to conclude that the difference in levels of adaptation depends on the difference in the volumes of socio-cultural capital that migrants had before resettlement.