Information on the thesis

The dissertation presents the results of the sociological research of socio-cultural
aspects of migrational risks of labor migrants from Ukraine. Current trends (namely:
collapse of the rigid bipolar world political system; significant intensification of
international economic, social and cultural interactions; the formation of the world
labor market, due to the liberalization of the migration regimes in most countries of
the world; not always successful searches of the best models of migration and ethnic
policy in sending and receiving societies etc.) create prerequisites for scientific
understanding of international migration and migrational risks. The relevance of the
study is defined by the contemporary socio-political processes and by the institutional
needs of state and international organizations that deal with the regulation of labor
migration. Intercultural interactons can become both an obstacle and an advantage in
society in general and in the labor market.
In the first chapter the theoretical and methodological basis of the study is
revealed. The research is conducted from the standpoint of a set of analytical tools,
among which: the “risk / danger” scheme of N. Luhmann; A. Schütz views on risk
and chance as interdependent variables that encourage people to try to master
overcome obstacles; U. Beck`s concept of “triple individualization” in the conditions
of the risk society; the interpretation of competence proposed and the concept of
“motivated abilities” by J. Raven; the idea of migrant labor as a “source of capitalist
spirit” by V. Zombart; the concept of intermediate (imaginary) obstacles by E. Lee;
the concept of readiness for migration, which is an intermediate link between the
readiness for relocation and the actual movement of international migrants (L.
Rybakovsky, T. Zaslavskaya). The second chapter elaborates the idea that the
challenges facing a post-industrial society manifest shifts between “expected future”
and “real future”, marking future threats and losses today. The most important
element of the new social conditions is the distinction between risks and dangers.
However, the distinction between risks and dangers is often offset by political
motives. New social risks of labor migrants are formed beyond the conflict between
labor and capital, which was characteristic of industrial society. The third chapter is
dedicated to the empirical research of labor migrants cultural competence in the
context of migrational risks. The program of empirical research was developed and
implemented by the international team of sociologists from Central and Eastern
European countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine) with author`s
participation. In this research author proposed new vision of sociocultural risks of
labor migrants, which reflect the informational nature of new social risks and become
relevant in the context of the transition to a post-industrial society. It is proved that a
high level of uncertainty avoidance and prevention of risks increases vulnerability of
labor migrants from Ukraine, poses them at secondary roles of labor markets of host
societies and makes them accept unfavorable working conditions proposed by the
mediators and employers of the host country; the probability of increased risk of
losing “motivated abilities” by Ukrainian labor migrants is predicted on the basis of
an imbalance between the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of their
intercultural competence. The research has further developed: application of key
indexes of comparative studies of organizational cultures by G. Hofstede; methods of
studying the ethnocentric mythology concerning international labor migrants from
Ukraine by B. Yushkiv; methods of measuring the intercultural competence of labor
migrants (V. Grasulyulis, O. Pelin) etc.
Key words: labor migration, migratory attitudes, migration intentions,
migrational risks, socio-cultural risks, socio-cultural competence.