Adaptation of Forced Immigrants in Russia: Policies and Practices

Sizikova Valeria Viktorovna, Anikeeva Olga Alexandrovna, Afanasyeva Olga Olegovna, Karpunina Anastsia Vladimirovna

Sizikova Valeria Viktorovna, Dean of the Social Work Faculty at Russian State Social University, Doctor of Pedagogy, Professor. Research interests include professional social education and analysis of specialist practical experience, social work with different types of families. Author of articles and textbooks on theoretical and practical problems in social work.

Anikeeva Olga Alexandrovna, Associate Professor of the Social Work Department at Russian State Social University, Candidate of History. Research interests include professional social education, history and theory of social work, social work with different types of families. Author of articles and textbooks on theoretical and practical problems in social work.

Afanasyeva Olga Olegovna, Associate Professor of the Social Work Department at Russian State Social University, Candidate of Pedagogy. Research interests include pedagogical foundations of social work, social work with different types of families. Author of articles and textbooks on theoretical and practical problems in social work.

Karpunina Anastsia Vladimirovna, Associate Professor of the Social Work Department at Russian State Social University, Candidate of Sociology. Research interests include pedagogical foundations of social work, social work with different types of families. Author of articles and textbooks on theoretical and practical problems in social work.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The article is based on the author’s study of the adaptation of forced immigrants from South-Eastern Ukraine in modern Russia, and the level of social protection. THEORETICAL BASE: of the article is based on the theory of cross-cultural adaptation (Y. Y. Kim); transformed concepts of acculturation (J. N. Pieterse), focusing on the multiculturalism of modern societies, and the concept of preserving one’s ethnic and social identity in crosscultural communications (V. I. Mukomel). OUTCOMES: The needs of forced immigrants and the problems of their adaptation, barriers and risks of interaction with the host community. METHODS: the study used methods of legal document analysis, statistical and demographic data, and conducted field study on the basis of the Internet survey of forced immigrants (N 268), the method of case study and in-depth pre-standardization interviews (N 9), the expert survey of specialists and managers of social organizations, providing for social protection and social work with migrants and forced immigrants (N 12); verification of the author’s research has been carried out on the basis of a research result secondary analysis of other authors. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: The obtained results in social services to change the nature and conditions of their professional activities for the adaptation of forced immigrants.

Keywords

migration, forced immigrants, internally displaced persons, cross-cultural adaptation, flexible acculturation, multiculturalism, transnationalism, social protection of migrants

p. 24-35