Doctoral School in Social Sciences University of Trento Sociology and Social Research XXVIII° cycle PhD Candidate: Nadya Bobova Supervisor: Prof. Giuseppe Sciortino PhD Thesis There and back again: Post-return experiences of highly skilled Belarusian professionals Trento March 2016 Contents List of tables and figures ........................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 1. Theoretical insights into return migration ......................................................... 13 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 13 1. Return migration: definition and approaches ................................................................ 18 2. The international migration of highly skilled ................................................................ 25 2.1 Defining the highly skilled ..................................................................................... 25 2.2 The highly skilled typology .................................................................................... 27 3. Brain drain vs. brain gain debate ................................................................................... 30 4. Highly skilled return migration ..................................................................................... 32 4.1 The determinants of highly skilled return migration .............................................. 32 4.2 Highly skilled return migration and the changes in the origin country .................. 35 5. Transnationalism and socio-cultural change ................................................................. 38 5.1 Transnationalism: origins and meaning ................................................................. 38 5.2 Post-return transnationalism and socio-cultural transformation............................. 40 Chapter 2. Research context and methods ............................................................................ 49 1. Purpose of study ............................................................................................................ 49 2. Research context ........................................................................................................... 49 2.1 Socio-demographic overview ................................................................................. 50 2.2 Migration flows ...................................................................................................... 51 2.3 Socio-economic development ................................................................................ 57 2.4 Political system ...................................................................................................... 60 3. Research approach and methods ................................................................................... 62 3.1 Document analysis ................................................................................................. 63 3.2 In-depth interviews ................................................................................................. 64 4. The data collection process ........................................................................................... 65 4.1 Public data collection ............................................................................................. 65 4.2 Individual data collection ....................................................................................... 67 4.2.1 Informants’ backgrounds overview ...................................................................... 69 4.2.2 Detailed informants’ backgrounds ....................................................................... 71 5. Data processing and analysis ........................................................................................ 79 5.1 Data transcription and translation ........................................................................... 79 5.2 Data analysis .......................................................................................................... 79 Chapter 3. Public opinion toward migration issues in Belarus ........................................... 81 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 81 1. Previous research on public attitudes toward migration ............................................... 84 2. Perception of emigration phenomenon ......................................................................... 87 3. Who are emigrants and stayers? .................................................................................... 92 4. Return migration in online discussions ......................................................................... 94 4.1 Perception of phenomenon of return migration ..................................................... 94 4.2 Reasons for return in online discussions .............................................................. 100 Chapter 4. Return migration: premises, dynamics, and post-return arrangements ...... 103 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 103 1. Decision process and its context ................................................................................. 106 2. What are the accounts for return of the highly skilled? .............................................. 112 3. Everyday life pre- and post-return arrangements ........................................................ 121 4. Perception and meaning of return ............................................................................... 127 Chapter 5. Post-return lifestyles and transnational involvement ..................................... 135 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 135 1. Perception of home ..................................................................................................... 137 2. Motherland, national identity, and citizenship ............................................................ 145 3. Gender roles and family relationships ......................................................................... 154 4. Material consumption.................................................................................................. 159 5. Entrepreneurship ......................................................................................................... 167 Chapter 6. Socio-cultural remittances and transnational involvement ............................ 173 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 173 1. Socio-cultural remittances into private life ................................................................. 176 1.1 Personal change .................................................................................................... 176 1.2 Couple and family relationships ........................................................................... 178 1.3 Professional life .................................................................................................... 182 1.4 Everyday life and consumption practices ............................................................. 186 2. Socio-cultural remittances into public life .................................................................. 191 2.1 Education .............................................................................................................. 191 2.2 Political views ...................................................................................................... 194 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 199 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 209 Appendix 1. In-depth interview guide ................................................................................. 251 Appendix 2. The presentation letter with a consent of respondent form ......................... 255 Appendix 3. List of codes for data analysis ......................................................................... 257 4 List of tables and figures Table 1. Labour immigration stocks in Belarus, 2011-2015……………………………....53 Table 2. Labour emigration flows from Belarus, 2011-2015………………………………56 Table 3. Belarus HDI trends……………………………………………………………….58 Table 4. Participants of in-depth interviews……………………………..…………………70 Table 5. Factors and conditions influenced the return decision of the highly skilled Belarusian professionals……………………………………………………....113 Figure 1. Factors determining the decision to return (Black et al. 2004, 13)……………...21 Figure 2. The social morphology of skilled migration: three dimensions of difference and six lifestyle types (Scott 2006)……………………………………………………...28 Figure 3. Inward and outward migration flows to and from Belarus, 2000-2014………....52 Figure 4. Belarusian emigrants stock: destinations………………………………………..55 Figure 5. Structure of working age population (15+), %.....................................................58 Figure 6. Research methodology……………………………………………………….….63 Figure 7. Comment in response