Return migration flow to Bulgaria is constant but not high, except for the past two years. Here, we argue that subjective and objective reasons should both be considered in line to explain life prospects of young returnees at home. An innovative approach to balancing the subjective-objective dichotomy in return migration phenomena is measuring sustainability of return through re-emigration, captured by and tested through a re-emigration index based on a national representative survey of returning Bulgarian migrants. The main hypothesis is that the sustainability of the return of young people depends on a complex group of factors, including social and emotional motives. The main findings are about the magnitude of the return migration flow and its sustainability: The factors for the return of young Bulgarians in the pre-Covid research show strong non-economic character, which intensifies in times of crisis. There are no significantly different tendencies for re-emigration/return among young people compared with all returnees.
Citation: Mihaela Misheva, Antoaneta Getova. Young returnees’ sustainability of return: The case of Bulgaria[J]. AIMS Geosciences, 2023, 9(3): 426-440. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2023023
Mihaela Misheva, Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – Economic Research Institute, issue 4, pages 187-202.
Abstract
The article discusses the relation between the return migration flow and the effects for the sending country, especially for the socio-economic change. An institutional approach has been adopted to analyze the possible changes that returning migrants would bring to their homeland. The main goal is to reveal the possible positive effect of international migration on the Bulgarian society and especially on the social institutions. The assumption that returnees may be agents of change is analyzed within the broad framework of institutionalism and data from a sociological survey of returned migrants. The micro and macro level of the “return-socio-economic change” relation is discussed through the broader view of the human capital and social capital transfer. The article presents the migration experience as helpful for the returnee’s integration at home and as a possible influence on the institutional environment in the country.
Language Buddy aims at enhancing the language learning of students (12 to 17 years old) with a refugee/migrant background through non-formal and informal learning through the upscaling of mentoring practices and implementation of a buddy system. Coordinated by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), schools/education authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and migrant-led organisations, the buddy system will involve their matching with students of HEIs (pedagogy/education/language/literature departments) who will be supported to act as language mentors in terms of voluntary programmes and/or placements within the framework of their studies.
Objectives:
Upscale buddy/mentoring systems with a language-learning component for young people with a migrant background (12 to 17 years old).
Build the skills of Higher Education students of pedagogy/ education/ language/ literature departments on innovative learning methodologies, intercultural pedagogy and language development.
Enhance access of young people with a migrant background (12 to 17 years old) to non-formal/informal language learning opportunities (supporting the work done by schools).
Enhance cooperation between Higher Education Institutions, migrant-led organisations, schools, NGOs, local/regional education authorities for the support of young migrants’ language learning.
Expected results:
Enhanced skills and competencies of at least 365 HEI students of pedagogy/ education/ literature departments who will be trained in the Language Buddy Model and participate in the pilots as mentors;
Empowerment, enhanced (language) skills and competences of at least 365 secondary education pupils of a migrant background who will participate in the pilots as mentees;
Strengthened partnerships and cooperation between HEIs, migrant-led organisations, schools, NGOs, local/regional education authorities through joint activities and relevant events;
Enhanced knowledge and awareness of participating HEIs networks of the benefits of the Language Buddy Model;
Enhanced awareness of local and national authorities, and of local communities/wider public on the importance of intercultural communication and solidarity;
Promotion of innovative, learner-centred digital approaches to migrant language learning.
Language Buddy Model further embedded into HEIs’ pedagogy/ education/ literature departments and other disciplines across EU countries;
Modernization of European HEIs;
Lower absenteeism and early school-leaving rate among children and youth with a refugee/migrant background, increased sense of belonging, civic engagement and improvement of academic performance;
Meaningful, lasting relationships and social ties between HEI students and secondary education pupils; Mainstreaming of the Language Buddy Model at local/national level;
Local and international networks of organisations that will cooperate for the inclusion of children and youth with a migrant background beyond the project’s life cycle;
Social inclusion of migrant families;
Countering xenophobic narratives and breaking stereotypes.
Language Buddy opens new paths in a key aspect to advance towards more cohesive and inclusive societies, the learning of official languages by migrant children and adolescents who have recently arrived in EU territories.
Activities
Here the list of the main activities:
Review of existing best practices and effective tools
Co-design and development of the Language Buddy Model
Establishment of Language Buddy system in HEIs
Development of online course for HEI students
Transnational Language Buddy Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop
Training of HEI students
Piloting of the Language Buddy system with pupils with a migrant background
Evaluation of the pilots and development of the Language Buddy Model 2.0
National digital roundtables
Policy Recommendations for the mainstreaming of the Language Buddy Model
Target group
The target group of the project are migrant students in secondary education, HEI students, stakeholders (Higher Education Institutions, migrant-led organisations, schools, NGOs, local/regional education authorities).
Partnership
The Consortium, led by the University of Macedonia, consists of 16 organisations 8 CSOs, 7 Universities, 1 directorate of education and take place in 8 European countries: Greece, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Austria.
The article addresses one of the most intriguing questions in current migration researches: what drives return migration? It seeks at a micro level to find out what motivates the return in terms of the individual perceptions and reflexions of migrants returning to Bulgaria. The initial hypothesis is that non-economic factors have been the leading ones that have prompted the Bulgarian citizens to return to their homeland over the last decade. The underlying assumption is that the return to Bulgaria is not a failure of individual migration, but should be regarded in terms of the concept of emotional reflexivity and can be examined within the theoretical paradigm of transnationalism. The hypothesis is tested by qualitative and quantitative data from a 2017 national survey and 100 in-depth interviews with Bulgarian returnees. The text is organized in several parts. Following the introduction, in the second part methodological aspects of the two surveys are presented. Next part presents different theoretical paradigms of return migration and distinguishes between economic and non-economic factors of return, and between rationality and emotionality of the motivation. The concept of emotional reflexivity is introduced as an explanatory frame for non-economic emotional motivation for return. In the third part is the analysis of the qualitative sociological data on the returnees’ motivation, illustrated by quotations from the in-depth interviews. A comparison is made between qualitative and quantitative data on the motivation and reasons for return. The analysis confirms the initial hypothesis. We conclude that the „return“ of Bulgarian migrants to Bulgaria cannot be comprehended without taking into account the factors related to life cycle and the relationship with home and family, as well as motives related to migrants’ emotional reflexivity. The prevailing non-economic emotional and reflective motives for return to Bulgaria carry important implications and opportunities with regard to the development of effective policies and initiatives to encourage and support return.
1.Department of Economic Sociology, University of National and World Economy, St. Grad “Hristo Botev”, Bul. 8 dekemvri, Sofia, Bulgaria2.Department of Sociology, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria
Return migration flow to Bulgaria is constant but not high, except for the past two years. Here, we argue that subjective and objective reasons should both be considered in line to explain life prospects of young returnees at home. An innovative approach to balancing the subjective-objective dichotomy in return migration phenomena is measuring sustainability of return through re-emigration, captured by and tested through a re-emigration index based on a national representative survey of returning Bulgarian migrants. The main hypothesis is that the sustainability of the return of young people depends on a complex group of factors, including social and emotional motives. The main findings are about the magnitude of the return migration flow and its sustainability: The factors for the return of young Bulgarians in the pre-Covid research show strong non-economic character, which intensifies in times of crisis. There are no significantly different tendencies for re-emigration/return among young people compared with all returnees.
Citation: Mihaela Misheva, Antoaneta Getova. Young returnees’ sustainability of return: The case of Bulgaria[J]. AIMS Geosciences, 2023, 9(3): 426-440. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2023023
