ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESSES OF ADAPTATION OF THE NORTHERN CAUCASIAN MIGRANTS IN THE MEGAPOLIS (EVIDENCE FROM ST. PETERSBURG)

Abstract

Relevance: Migration processes largely determine the face of the modern world. Their results lead to serious problems of intercultural communication, and successful approaches of solving them have not yet been developed. Different attempts both to pursue a policy of assimilation and to introduce the principles of multiculturalism often do not have a positive effect. 

Subject of research: Adaptation strategies of Northern Caucasian migrants in St. Petersburg. 

The purpose of this work is to analyze the processes of adaptation of Northern Caucasian migrants to the social and cultural environment of the metropolis, as well as to identify factors affecting its success. 

The scientific novelty of the preprint will consist in the description of foreign cultural internal migration in Russia from the point of view of various migration theories.  

Research methods: Review of migration theories available in literature, field research in St. Petersburg. 

Main results: A field study conducted showed that the theories under consideration have different explanatory potential for analyzing the processes of adaptation of Northern Caucasians in the metropolis. Thus, the concept of acculturation strategies, although it turned out to be a rather crude analysis tool, allowed us to characterize the differences between the adaptation of Northern Caucasian migrants of the first and second generation. The theory of transmigration has also revealed its productivity, in particular for describing the existing links between migrant communities of the metropolis and the regions of departure, as well as for determining the design of ethnic networks. At the same time, the theory of segmental assimilation in its classical form turned out to be inapplicable – both because of the lack of local protest countercultures that could be perceived by migrants, and because of the absence of a pronounced problem of the "second generation". At the same time, the field study demonstrated that migrants could adapt to the metropolis through specific cultural environments that are not countercultural – for example, sports or Islamic communities. These mechanisms of embedding in the city carry both certain benefits and inherent risks. 

Conclusions: Natives of the North Caucasus moving to St. Petersburg can use various adaptation strategies in the city - both in the urban mainstream and in specific cultural environments (but not in countercultures). At the same time, in some cases, there are also processes of separation of migrants from the urban community.

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