This chapter presents an insight of the current. It includes the background of the study, the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, research questions, the significance of the study and definitions of terms.
In the modern world, migration has become one of the biggest problems, difficulties caused by this mainly uncontrolled process has political, social and cultural nature. Essentially it is a system of problems that requires a systematic approach. In the context of the global financial crisis, this problem can really worsen to the level of socio-political conflict both inside and outside Russia. At the same time, it should be noted that the borders of the conflict may go beyond the official state borders or the borders of the ethnic population.
Background of the Study
Russia's transition from an authoritarian regime to a model of a state based on democratic principles induced the movement of goods, capitals and labor, so migration processes intensified a lot. The Russian community has faced a new social phenomenon - a massive inflow of foreign labor (Heleniak , 2002). This phenomenon became new for Russia due to the following circumstances: firstly, the history of the country did not yet know such a mass external labor migration; Secondly, in the USSR the exchange of labor resources was totally regulated by the government and mostly happened within the USSR and was perceived as internal migration. Currently there are no unambiguous interpretations of the concept of
"foreign labor", the influx and activity of foreign labor is complicated in managing and regulation, there are no universal way of integrating foreign labor into the community of the host country(Ladan, 2009).
The News Website 33 Live (2017) presents cultural and political events, incidents and accidents of the 33 regions, providing reliable information in real time. It claimed that there is a big influx of labor migrants in Russia recently. A lot of local Russian people, especially from big cities, are concerned about this issue and are afraid of possible consequences for their own well-being and the economy of the country in general. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the 2017, 14 million migrant workers have arrived in Russia. This is almost 20% of the economically active population of Russia. Most often people move from disadvantaged areas with not developed economy (33 Live, 2017).
The Role of Foreign Labor for Russian Economy
Researchers claim that immigration of foreign citizens to Russia surely has some impact on the Russian economy. First of all, Russia as a country importing labor, solves the problem of reducing production costs. Migrants receive significantly less wages than local workers, which helps to reduce production costs. The development of immigration allows the country to save money on training, as well as to solve some social problems: foreign workers are not provided with pensions and other benefits. Labor migration plays the main role in the migration process in general. (Kondratov, Starikova, & Syltigova, 2016)
There is the illegal arrival of labor migrants, an exact calculation of which is not possible.
They are profitable for entrepreneurs, which can save a lot on wages, and also get away from some taxes. In this regard, the budget of the state does not receive significant amounts of money, and thus expanding the shadow economy. Law enforcement authorities are intensely fighting illegal migration, in particular in Article 322 of The Criminal Code of the Russian provides for responsibility for the illegal crossing of the state border, the organization of illegal migration, fictitious registration and registration at the place of stay in a residential building in the Russian Federation. (The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, 2015)
Political security as a component of social security assumes the state protects political interests, rights and freedoms of citizens. Compliance with laws is the basis for taking effective measures to prevent political threats to the citizens of the country. (Kuntsman & Sultygova, 2014). According to the latest polls of the analytical center "Laboratory of Information Consulting" more than half of Russians (52.3%) believe that competition with labor migrants can soon go beyond the segment of low-skilled labor; 33.2% of Russians believe that such competition will continue to be maintained only on low-paid positions; and only 14.5% of the inhabitants of Russia replied that there was enough work for everyone (Zakham, 2017).
Nowadays, Russia has a lack of population capable of participating in production. So, with the proper organization of mechanisms for the reception of labor migrants, Russia will be able to accept all, without worsening the living conditions for the indigenous population.
Similar mechanisms operate, for example, in Canada, where applicants are selected according to their real abilities and willingness to work, to bring something to improve the overall standard of living. However, in Russian society there is still a destructive idea of not letting
“strangers” come. The idea came from the opinion that foreign labor mostly come from
disadvantaged areas to get the available resources and benefits, at the same time posing a danger to Russian people and culture (33 Live, 2017).
The Current Situation
Levada analytical center, one of the largest Russian centers in sociological research and appears often on national and international media (Levada analytical center, 2019), indicated that migration is connected with social unsettledness, economic and social losses. As a result, many migrants (up to 70%) even after a successful arrival to a new place experience stress and a sense of psychological trauma. After arrival to a new location, migrants face a negative attitude of local residents. According to surveys conducted in Russia, up to 80% of respondents consider migrants to be a source of increased criminal danger; a lot of Russian people are against the admission of migrants of non-indigenous nationality at all. The arrival of large numbers of migrants complicates the social and economic situation in the region (Levada analytical center, 2017).
It was noted that contradictions and conflicts with local residents lead to the unification of migrants on the basis of national and nationality, including the formation of criminal and semi-criminal units. There is a dangerous situation in Russian society because of perception of foreigners – the certain attitude towards migrants may cause conflicts and tension between locals and foreigners. The danger is mainly due to the combination of different factors: the presence of criminal experience before migration, the loss of social connections in the migration process and the absence of the possibility to restore them after migration. Even the objectively positive effects of immigration, such as the replenishment of labor resources and the improvement of the demographic situation, are perceived skeptically by the population.
And for some of them the presence of migrants has turned into an irritating factor what cause tension and conflicts between local people and migrants (Dolgovaya , 2007).
It is obvious that the current situation in media discourse about migrants, which leads to the activation of the emotional component of public consciousness, is unsafe. Since a negative stereotype about migrants has already established, it can provoke aggravation of social tension, the formation of racist sentiments, the emergence of interethnic conflicts. Due these reasons there are some serious concerns that situation may become dangerous and seriously affect social and economic life in Russia.
Statement of the Problem
The anti-immigrant sentiments prevailing in the Russian society and the approval by the majority of the population of administrative and other arrangements that impede the integration of migrants, create a base for discrimination (Levada analytical center, 2017). The lack of free access to labor markets, labor rights, social protection and social dialogue is a Russian reality faced by most migrants. Discrimination reinforces the desire for isolation of migrant groups, cohabitation among only their inner groups. The isolation of migrants, partly forced, contributes to their social exclusion.
Obviously, the Russian economy is not able to exist without foreign workers. K.
Romodanovsky, the director of the Federal Migration Service in his interview to News Agency Vesti.ru (2007) said: "Who is a migrant? It is a labor force." Of course, migrants are needed, we will still fight for labor, for labor migrants. There are not enough workers. "
At the same time, generally speaking foreign labor is ambiguously perceived by Russian society. Migrant workers experience serious difficulties with adaptation to a new socio-cultural and labor environment. In the Russian society there is a process of stratification of ethnic groups, the formation of their hierarchy, as well as other social groups, when representatives of migrant minorities have a certain social niche. As Mukomel (2011) mentioned in his research, the consequences of ethno-social stratification are very serious. Firstly, socio-economic discrimination, ethno-social stratification and separation of foreign migrants’ support and reproduce ethnic identity to the detriment of the civil, becoming a serious obstacle to the formation of civil society. Secondly, ethno-social stratification and segmentation of society based on ethnic grounds erode social norms and values. Thirdly, the separation of foreign migrants, the formation of subcultural migrant enclaves in the host environment, including territorial enclaves, becomes a problem that threatens socio-economic and political stability.
Currently such processes are taking place in Russian cities, mainly near large retail outlets and other places of mass employment of migrants. Fourth, ethnic discrimination is gradually extended to all representatives of this migrant minority, including those with Russian citizenship. Fifthly, ethnic discrimination directly threatens the functioning of basic social institutions: the civil service, the army, the judiciary, and education system. Xenophobia is not pragmatic, it threatens the Russian statehood. (Mukomel , 2011)
These problems create new contradictions in the Russian society and raise social conflicts.
It requires special studies devoted to formation separated groups in society, attitudes towards migrants, the factors affecting them and characteristics of intergroup relationships.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this present study is:
1. To investigate the factors that may cause negative attitude of local people towards migrants in Russia
2. To identify how the selected factors affect people’s attitude in terms of in-group/out-group concept
3. To provide suggestions for improving current situation in the context of negative attitudes towards migrants in Russia
Research Questions
Based upon the purposes, this study will investigate the following questions:
1. What are the significant factors that may cause negative attitude of Russian people towards migrants?
2. Whether the concept of in-group vs. out-group can explain the attitude of local people in Russia towards migrants?
Significance of the Study
Most of researches in the field were conducted for European countries. Russia as a country with absolutely different culture and history have different conditions, therefore may show absolutely different results. Migrants mostly come not just from other countries but from former USSR countries which used to share the same history but have different culture at the same time. The situation is worsening by the fact that although Russia is multinational country there is only one major nation and religion and not well-established economy yet. Current study points out main problems and reflects current situation in general, so it is possible to give some relevant recommendations in order to improve the situation. According to the results of this
study it is possible to define key factors which affect people’s attitude towards migrants reflecting trends in society what can help create some effective steps to influence unfavorable attitude avoiding impracticable activities in prospect.
Definition of Terms
Social Identity Theory
Social Identity Theory in social psychology is the study of the interplay between personal and social identities. Social identity theory aims to specify and predict the circumstances under which individuals think of themselves as individuals or as group members. The theory also considers the consequences of personal and social identities for individual perceptions, group behavior, in-group and out-group relations (Ellemers, 2018).
Migrants
Although there is no formal legal definition of an international migrant, most experts agree that an international migrant is one who changes the country of his usual residence, regardless of the reason for migration or legal status. (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2020).
In-group vs. Out-group
In-group is a group or social category, in relation to which the individual experiences a sense of identity and belonging. The individual perceives members of this group as "we"
(Frolov, 2010). Out-group is a group of people in relation to which the individual does not have a sense of identity or belonging. Members of such a group are seen by the individual as "not us" or "strangers" (Frolov, 2010).
Attitude towards migrants
Attitude towards migrants is the behavior of local residents in relation to people who came from other countries to work or to get permanent residence.
A negative attitude
A negative attitude is a feeling, or behavior which is not constructive, collaborative, or optimistic. (Cheprasov, 2018).
A positive attitude
A positive attitude is a state of mind that involves beliefs and feelings that influence people's behavior, perceptions and the decisions they make in optimistic state of mind with belief that good things will occur in their future life.