Life Strategies of Migrants from Crisis Regimes

This book offers a profoundly new examination of life strategies of migrants from regimes in crisis. By focusing on the unique paired comparison of two opposing life strategiesthe dynamic, risk-taking and future-oriented 'achievement life strategy' and the conservative, risk-minimizing and survival-oriented 'survival life strategy'this volume takes migration from post-independence Ukraine to Australia as a central case study to show how people shape their lives in response to regime transitions and crises; what life strategies individuals pursue to cope with social change; and why these individuals chose migration to Australia. Ultimately, the book compels us to reassess what we mean by migration and regime crisis in order to adequately respond to the global challenges confronting numerous democracies today. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology and politics with interests in migration, political theory and democracy.

Draws together research on regime transition and crisis, migration, and life strategy in a new theoretical framework bolstered by empirical research Focuses on life strategies of migrants in the time before departure, an under-theorized aspect of migration research and policy Concentrates on current and future European migration into Australia in particularly examining growing unrest and protests in European democracies

Autorentext

Olga Oleinikova is Lecturer and Director of the Ukraine Democracy Initiative in the School of Communication at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia.

Inhalt

Part I - Concepts and Contexts.- 1. Life Strategy, Migration and Regime Transition.- 2. Life Strategy Research Framework.- Part II Leaving Europe.- 3. Leaving the Regime in Crisis: Structural Context Shaping Life Strategies.- 4. Why Migration? Individual Context of Survival and Achievement .- 5. Migration Pathways: Popular Visas, Streams and Tactics.- Part III Becoming Australian.- 6. 'Survival Migrants': Challenges and Opportunities.- 7. Patterns of 'Achievement'.- Part IV Achievers Versus Survivors: Comparative Perspective.- 8. Achievers Versus. Survivors: Dynamics and Trends.