Host Community and Foreign Migrants: Regional Adaptation Practices

Abstract

The article deals with the interaction of the host community and foreign migrants. The empirical base consists of sociological research data on the ethnic and religious situation in the Republic of Mordovia and the social well-being of diasporas of peoples living in the Republic of Mordovia. The studies were conducted by employees of the Scientific center of social-economic monitoring state institution in 2017–2019. The results show that there are no serious prerequisites for destabilization of interethnic relations in the region. The host community demonstrates a high level of tolerance towards foreign migrants. Representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian diasporas do not feel tension. Uzbeks, on the contrary, declare minor contradictions at the household level. The adaptation strategies of foreign migrants in the host community are significant. People from Azerbaijan and Armenia are focused on integration and have a hybrid ethnic identity. Citizens of Uzbekistan strive for segregation (or dissimilation), since they pursue purely instrumental goals that do not involve contacts with the local population. According to the interviewed foreign migrants, the common historical past has the greatest potential for uniting representatives of various nationalities. But, as our data show, successful adaptation requires its configuration with other determinants, such as common culture, kinship, etc. It is noted that the accumulated experience of the Republic of Mordovia in regulating interethnic relations and conducting research in this area has demonstrated its effectiveness, therefore, it can be transferred to other subjects of the Russian Federation.

Keywords

• migrants
• host community
• assimilation
• segregation
• integration
• marginalization