Ethnic social network as a mechanism of migration and migrants' adaptation in the receiving society: the concept and structure

The article considers ethnic social networks in the context of migration processes and migrants' adaptation in the receiving society. Migration problems in Russia, as well as a limited use of social networks potential in domestic science, does not allow describing the content of this scientific category when studying migration processes and adaptation of migrants in the Russian society. The author suggests to use the "ethnic social network" concept as subjects involved in territorial migration and adaptation in a new place, ethnic migrants, representatives of a certain ethnic community The scientific concepts "migration", "migration behavior", "adaptation of migrants" and "social mechanism" are defined. These concepts are basic components in the description of an ethnic social network as a mechanism of migration processes and adaptation of migrants in the host society. The analysis of various works on the migrants' adaptation issue allows making three variants of using this concept: migrants' integration, social adaptation and acculturation. The author formulates the definition of the "migrants' adaptation" category, based on the studied materials. The content of "migration", "migration behavior" and "adaptation of migrants" concepts allows determining territorial displacement and adaptation of migrants as two successive stages of the migration process, where an ethnic social network can have an important place as a factor and mechanism in migration processes and migrants' adaptation to a new condition. Theoretical and empirical results of the Novosibirsk School of Economic Sociology help to define the content of an ethnic social network as a mechanism of migration processes and migrants' adaptation to new conditions. The basis for the formation of this mechanism is confidential relationships between migrants (potential and real), their immediate environment (relatives, friends, neighbors, countymen), caused by mutual recognition of each other as carriers of a certain ethnicity, common historical past, culture (a system of attitudes, beliefs, etc.). A way to support such a mechanism is a reciprocal exchange of resources. The continuity of relations between network members contributes to the maintenance and operation of such a mechanism. The article describes four stages of ethnic social network formation and functioning. The author comes to a conclusion that the heuristic potential of ethnic social networks can be analyzed from the viewpoint of territorial mobility both within a state and between different countries, and also that new ways of counteracting illegal migration can be developed using the results of the research of the migration and adaptation processes informal component.

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