Migrant Social Integration: Key Obstacles and Pathways to Effective Adaptation

Abstract

The study of the social integration of migrants is of great theoretical and practical importance. Identifying patterns and features of migration allows us to model strategies for successfully adapting migrants. The social and socio-cultural characteristics of the host environment: its stratifi cation and value-normative foundations, the degree of ethnic mosaicism, which characterises the density and frequency of interethnic interactions, mentality and culture, and tolerant readiness to interact with others, are identifi ed as essential factors in adaptation processes. The study aims to characterise the problems and strategies of successful adaptation to migrants’ social integration. The object of the study is the process of integrating migrants into society. The empirical basis of the study is based on the results of the author’s research conducted in the autumn of 2024. In the course of the study, 480 respondents were interviewed. The respondents were selected in two stages: 1) selection of respondents by place of residence; 2) selection of respondents by gender, age, nationality, education and length of stay in the Kyiv region. The study used the following methods: analytical method, method of probabilistic analysis, method of generalisation, comparative and descriptive method, survey, correlation analysis, and methods of descriptive statistics. It was concluded that migrants show a higher degree of tolerance in cases of a specifi c positive identity and, conversely, hyper-identity or marginal, negative identity creates preconditions for intolerance in the interaction between migrants and the local population. The data analysis allowed us to conclude that the processes of migrants’ adaptation to the conditions of their new life are highly successful. The decisive factors in the social adaptation of displaced people to the socio-cultural environment of the Kyiv region were the social characteristics and social potential of migrants, which is refl ected in their accumulated education, professional training and qualifi cations.