Project Title: Reception of migrants under conditions of uncertainty: governance and local level inclusion

Project Aims & Objectives:

Migration and integration researchers usually see integration is a reciprocal process of adaptation between migrants and host societies, holding both migrants and hosts equally responsible for integration outcomes. In practice, however, the focus has largely been on the responsibilities of migrants, without appreciating the context of the host country, the attitudes of the population and the role of the various integration agents. How integration is understood, interpreted and implemented in everyday practice by what Lipsky (2010) refers to as ‘street level bureaucrats’, and how society and different local actors adapt to and welcome migrants into their communities, is important for the social inclusion of migrants to be truly successful. Coordination between the different actors involved in providing support to refugees is also very important, and has not always been successful in the Latvian case. One of the central aims of this ambitious project is to provide a comprehensive and reliable assessment of the multi-faceted context of integration in Latvia and how various local agents affect the integration outcomes of Ukrainian and other third-country migrants. It also aims to provide information which has so far been missing on the needs, plans, everyday experiences, and overall social inclusion and well-being of newly arrived Ukrainian and other third-country migrants in Latvia from their own perspective, and to shed new light on possible governance strategies under conditions of instability and uncertainty. One of the main objectives of this ambitious project is to provide a comprehensive and reliable assessment of the integration context in Latvia in different areas, analysing separately and in synergy the inclusion of migrants in national policies, municipalities, work environments, educational institutions, local communities and in accessing the necessary services.

Scholars/Institutions: University of Latvia, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology.

Countries Involved: Latvia

Start Date: January 1, 2024

End Date: 12/31/2026

Research Methods: The study will use both quantitative and qualitative research methods: a survey of Latvian businesses and local authorities, in-depth interviews with migrants, policy makers, local authorities, NGOs, employers, teachers and parents, as well as observation and innovative projective and visual methods.The research methodology proposed in the study, which is based on the analysis of specific municipal ‘cases’, will allow for an understanding of the role of different integration agents in facilitating integration processes, as well as shed light on the everyday experiences, perspectives and needs of migrants themselves.The project also aims to provide hitherto missing information on the needs, plans, daily experiences and overall social inclusion and well-being of newly arrived Ukrainian and other third-country migrants in Latvia from their own perspectives, as well as to shed light on possible strategies for managing immigration and integration in a context of instability and insecurity.

Findings/Outcomes:

The research will result in international publications, seminars and a discussion forum, as well as recommendations for policy makers. The project will provide hitherto missing information on the needs, plans, daily experiences and overall social inclusion and well-being of newly arrived Ukrainian and other third-country migrants in Latvia from their own perspectives, as well as to shed light on possible strategies for managing immigration and integration in a context of instability and insecurity.

Project Webpage: https://migracija.lv/en/projects/recom/#we-in-media

Funding Institution: The project is funded by the Latvian Council of Science within the framework of the Fundamental and Applied Research Project Program.

Funding Information: 300103

Keywords: Migration, integration, migrants, host societies, integration agents

Country of Publication:

• Latvia

Project Title: Well-being, Integration and Liquid Migration

Project Aims & Objectives:

East-West intra-EU migration is often characterized using the concept of «liquid migration» — a form of «new migration» that has a more diverse and fluid character than the «old migration». The key question this project asks is: to what extent do established notions of integration adequately fit an increasingly uprooted group of migrants such as Eastern European mobile citizens? The project goes beyond the traditional measures of integration such as income and labor market success. By merging migration research and research on subjective well-being, the project will shed new light on the outcomes of integration as experienced by migrants themselves in various areas of life (economic, health, psychological and social wellbeing).

Scholars/Institutions: University of Latvia, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology.

Start Date: September 1, 2018

End Date: 12/31/2021

Research Methods: Applying a longitudinal design to an unprecedented large-scale web survey of migrants from Latvia allows to track changes over time, providing the most reliable evidence of the effects of migration on wellbeing and happiness, particularly in relation to the liquid character of contemporary migration. A deeper insight into the situation of migrants will be gained by triangulating the quantitative data with qualitative interviews and administrative data.

Findings/Outcomes:

The project were focused on:
skills and labour market acivities of migrant population;
subjective well-being;
health dimension;
children and families through migration experiences.

Funding Institution: The Latvian Council of Science

Keywords: measures of integration, income, labor market success, iquid migration, migrant population

Country of Publication:

• Latvia