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Paper short abstract:

Crises shape the response of migrants in impulsive cooperation answers, often leading to the temporary or permanent return to their home-countries. Social media becomes a leading instrument by providing people with close examples of successful return stories.

Paper long abstract:

Often seen as the ultimate goal of blue-collared migrants, returning to the home country becomes during times of international crises the only feasible action. This paper seeks to understand the reasoning behind the return responses in Romanian migrants in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic and the energetic crisis arose in 2022. It will use participant observation, semi-coordinated interviews, and text analysis to integrate Romanian migrants’ reactions into the broader perspective of crisis response management. People either choose to relocate temporarily to Romania to be close to their families, frequently leaving better-paid employment in Germany, or they are obliged to return after being fired from their jobs. Many of them maintain a close connection to their homes through the constant use of social media, which is also one of the reasons behind leaving their destination country in a risky situation. Facebook groups regularly disseminate populist agenda, fake news, or threads questioning belonging, which makes migrants more prone to selecting the return path. Digital fields become the connecting point between migrants and their home countries. They are constantly watching the news, talking to their families, presenting their issues, and searching for responses to various problems via social media. On this channel, they even try bringing a part of their homes to Germany by ordering traditional food or participating in events organised by Romanian associations. Thus, even for people who do not choose reverse migration during the crisis, practising a form of digital migration helps them cope with the effects of the event.