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- Convenors:
-
Mila Maeva
(Institute of Ethnology and Folkloristic Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
Petko Hristov (Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at BAS)
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- Formats:
- Panel
- Stream:
- Mobilities
- Sessions:
- Tuesday 22 June, -
Time zone: Europe/Helsinki
Short Abstract:
The panel concerns the post-2004 movements to the Eastern European countries. Taking into account the intensification of global movements and their impact on the cultural heritage, we will aim to look at its role, content, societal place and its transgression in the immigrant adaptation process.
Long Abstract:
The increasing mobility and migration do concern a plethora of social processes, but their effect on the cultural diversity in the countries on their both ends is truly pronounced. The panel we propose is aimed at presenting the results of the post-2004 immigration movements to the ex-communist countries of Eastern Europe, unravelled and intensified by the accession of (some of) the latter to the European Union. While still being "leaders" as sending countries, the new EU member-states now play the dual role of receiving countries as well. Part of these new intensified movements is becoming a diverse population, motivated by a number of reasons to seek "better luck", more money or improved wellbeing and working or living conditions. This in turn organizes a multitude of new migrant groups, such as labour and leisure migrants, expats, students and refugees provoked by the new possibility for studying, living and business there. Taking into account the continuous intensification of global movements and their impact on the cultural heritage, we will aim to look at its fluctuating role, content, societal place and lastly its transgression in the immigrant adaptation process. The negotiation between cultures (own, national, regional or local) in the context of ex-totalitarian countries put in the foreground questions concerning the quick changes of the local social and cultural landscape and provoke discussion on the acceptance, integration and discrimination on the axis between "us" and "them".
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Tuesday 22 June, 2021, -Ilona Kazlauskaite (Vytautas Magnus University)
Paper short abstract:
Based on the interviews conducted in 2020, this presentation features the findings on how the changing contemporary Lithuanian cultural and social landscape influences the identity negotiation and (re)construction of degree students from non-EU countries studying at the Lithuanian universities.
Paper long abstract:
Over the past decade, Lithuania has turned from the students "exporting" country into an attractive destination for international students seeking the higher education degree, especially from other Post-Soviet, South-East Asian countries and Africa. International (or transnational) student migration is one aspect of global movement that connects individuals of diverse backgrounds and induce the cultural diversity of the host countries, especially in the countries like Lithuania, which are more culturally and ethnically homogeneous. The challenges international students face in a new transnational environment such as language and cultural differences, racial hypervisibility, legal and social restrictions, uncertainty of belonging, living under temporariness, the feeling of "otherness" are significant factors in defining new perspectives and construction of student identities. According to the initial results of my study, international students may distance themselves and/or be less burdened by the social norms and cultural behavior inherent to their nationality, ethnicity or culture, they are more free to reconstruct a new identity in tune with their inner values and new experiences in a new environment. Using the concept of transnational social field (Glick-Schiller, Levitt, 2004) I will discuss how the international degree students from different non-EU countries (India, China, Nigeria, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, etc.) studying at the Lithuanian universities, negotiate their identities by taking the intermediate position - the more comfortable "third place" between the cultural practices characteristic to their home country and that of the current host country and what role the rapidly changing contemporary Lithuanian cultural and social landscape play in that process.
Ivaylo Markov (Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) Violeta Periklieva (Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
Paper short abstract:
The paper aims to examine the role of cultural background and heritage in the process of adaptation of foreign students in Bulgaria. We consider three cases: students of Bulgarian ethnic origin, students from Southeastern and Eastern Europe and students from more distant societies and cultures.
Paper long abstract:
In the paper proposed, we aim to examine the role of cultural background and heritage in the process of adaptation of foreign students in Bulgaria. The subject of our interest are students who are non-Bulgarian citizens and are currently enrolled in higher education courses in the country; the so-called “credit-mobile students” on short exchange or study-abroad trips (such as Erasmus+ students) are not considered.
We suggest using the notion of “sociocultural distance” as a tool by means of which we can look at the students’ strategies and practices in their adaptation in the educational environment as well as in daily life beyond their university occupation. We intend to consider three particular cases:
– students of Bulgarian ethnic origin but coming from other countries (Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, R. North Macedonia, Albania ets.). The sense of common origin intertwines with their affiliation to the society and culture of these countries;
– students from Southeastern and Eastern Europe (e.g. Greeks, Albanians, Russians etc.) who find similarities in the social and cultural environment between their countries and Bulgaria based on the similar sociocultural, political and economic processes in the near past and the present.
– students from more distant societies and cultures – we will focus particularly on the British students, moreover among them we find people of various origins (Britons, Indians, Pakistanis etc.).
The research was conducted within the project “Cultural Adaptation and Integration of Immigrants in Bulgaria” (Contract No: DN 20/8), supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.