Scholarly record

THE CONSTRUCTION OF RISKS BY RESIDENTS OF ST. PETERSBURG IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION

O. Borodkina, V. Romanenko

Abstract

In Russia, the international migration is growing. In this situation, it is important to identify and assess the main social risks of international migration. The construction of social risks is reflected by public opinion. The analysis, based on public opinion polls data and statistical indicators, allows to find out mail social risks and fears of population. The main methods are telephone survey (N=1017) and survey on the streets of St. Petersburg (N=821), that are conducted in 2016. Additionally, a secondary analysis of the statistical data and of the regional sociological researches was done. Based on the survey, several types of social risks for residents of St. Petersburg can be identified, which are caused by migration effects: - cultural risks: the tension caused by the difference of cultures, customs, traditions, religion and language; risk of cultural expansion and risk of degradation of the education system; - security risks: increasing the level of crime and the risk of a conflict situations; - public health risks, including risk of infectious diseases infections and unsanitary conditions; - economic risks: the risk of financial distress, the risk of lowering the quality of goods and services. The study also showed that citizens do not concerned very much about migration issues and they do not demonstrate a strong disapproval of Russian migration policy. The population of St. Petersburg feels risks of security and economic risks quite strongly. Many respondents connect these risks as well as high crime rate and the lack of financial stability with international migrants. At the same time, the objective indicator of the proportion of migrant criminals in the structure of city crime is not as high as in the public consciousness of citizens. It also it could not be a fact that migrants are displacing the city's residents from the labor market. The most dangerous risk is the cultural space: for many citizens, the international migration is connected with expansion of another's culture and religion.

Publication details

Back to publication list