Segregation or integration? Russian immigrants in Washington State, USA. Judit Molnár University of Glasgow Stockholm, July 2010

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1 Segregation or integration? Russian immigrants in Washington State, USA Judit Molnár University of Glasgow Stockholm, July 2010

2 Structure of my presentation Model of the integration process of immigrants Immigrants from Russia/USSR statistical data view Immigrants from the former SU before 1990 Our data Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State Characteristics and resources of an immigrant group using PUMS data analysis Characteristics and resources of an immigrant and a local resident group using questionnaire survey data analysis Reception of the place of destination using questionnaire survey data analysis Summary

3 Model of the integration process of immigrants Adaptation to the new place and society Characteristics and resources of immigrants Characteristics and reception of the place of destination savings, education, social capital, culture, nationality, ethnicity, religion, race, voluntary or forced immigrants, legal or illegal immigrants, etc. immigration policy and law, level of discrimination, racism, culture, economic structure and opportunities, rural or urban area, micro-social environment, etc.

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17 Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State until 1990s CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION

18 Characteristics and resources of immigrants (HARDWICK, S. W. 1993) Russians have not been typical of other Euroamerican immigrant groups in North America Russian residential enclaves have been relatively slow to disperse through time slow assimilation They live and they tend to live in isolated enclaves because of their religion(orthodox, Old Believers, Doukhobors, Molokans, Baptists, Pentacostals) because of their experience at home (persecution, discrimination, etc.)

19 Reception of the host country: Russians have not been typical of other Euroamerican immigrant groups in North America Russian residential enclaves have been relatively slow to disperse through time slow assimilation They had to bear the burden of negative perception because of Communism because of the perception that Russia is not truly European level of discrimination (HARDWICK, S. W. 1993)

20 Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State after 1990 CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION

21 Our data Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) 2000 and Different dataset (the individual records were expanded the sample to the relevant total in 2000, but ) Different period of time Using rate views Statistical analysis of semi-structured interviews (questionnaires) 96 (54 immigrants from the former SU and 42 local American residents) questionnaires from Washington State during the period from May 2009 to early 2010 mainly from Vancouver, WA and the Greater Seattle area Qualitative interviewing to help with the design of the questionnaire (6) to complement the questionnaires data (8+4)

22 Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State

23 PUMS data analysis CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS

24 Distribution of the recent immigrants according to their years of enter percent of the total who entered source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files

25 Proportion of the immigrants who have US citizenship U.S. citizen by naturalization U.S. citizen by naturalization source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files

26 90 Proportion of the émigrés who have a degree percent has a degree older than has a degree older than 20 source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files

27 English ability indexes of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union value of the index English ability English ability source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files

28 Our survey s results Immigrants from the former Soviet Union CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS

29 Characteristics of respondents: making decision about leaving their country Why did they leave their home countries? Would they like to return there? % Unfavorable economic circumstances 25.9 Religious discrimination 22.2 Ethnic discrimination 31.5 Better economic situation in the USA 35.2 Better future for their children 38.9 No 64.2 Yes 7.5 Maybe 28.3

30 Characteristics and resources of respondents: age, education and English skill Respondents Age /mean Age when they entered / mean Good English when they entered % 35.2 Good English now % 68.5 Education: college or university degree % 53.7 They did study in the USA % 72.2 They studied at the university/college % 38.9 They studied in the language school % 25.9

31 Characteristics of respondents: year of their entry and find a job Respondents Year when they entered / mean Came directly to this area % Months after they entered the US they found a job 8.58

32 Characteristics of respondents: attitude: happiness and national identity How happy they were/are (scale 1-5) Their national identity % Proud of their nationalities % Respondents when they entered 3.63 and now 4.22 to live in Russia 3.43 Russian 73.6 Russian American 3.8 No 7.5 Ukrainian 5.7 very much 26.9 yes 31.5 not particulary 7.4 Not at all 11.1

33 Resources of respondents: social network Respondents % know people (relatives/friends) in the area before they came here 77.8 have friends now in the area where they live 66.7 live in the area where other Russian speaking people live 68.5 Their friends nationalities Their closest friends nationalities Only Russians 11.1 Mainly Russian speaking people, few Americans 24.1 Russian speaking people and Americans mixed 11.1 Russian speaking people, Americans, other Europeans and other nationalities mixed Russian speaking people and / or Russian Americans

34 Characteristics of respondents: attitude toward the host country Respondents % General opinion about the USA The best 75.9 What they like the best in the USA What they like the best in their home country Lots of opportunity (economic, edu.) 29.6 Mentality of people 24.1 Freedom 20.4 High living standard 18.5 Environment 13 Relationship, friendship 29.6 Social life 22.2 Climate, landscape 14.8 Literature, culture 14.8

35 Our survey s results - Local American residents CHARACTERISTICS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION

36 Characteristics of the place of destinations: social network of the local Americans Respondents % They have friends in their neighbourhood 84.3 Where are their international friends from Only Americans 11.8 Mainly Americans, few internationals 66.7 Russia 21.6 UK 15.7 India 13.7 China 11.8 Africa 13.7 Japan 13.7 Mexico 15.7 Korea 9.8 Philippines 9.8 Closest friend s nationality is American 78.4

37 Characteristics of the place of destination: local Americans knowledge of the former SU and Russia What do you know about Russia Respondents % Communism 25.3 Governmental control 31.4 Society is toxic and chaotic 15.7 Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky and Medvedev 15.7 Natural resources 13.7 Where it is 17.6 Siberia, Baikal 17.6 Literature, culture 11.8 Fast growing economy 9.8 Russian maffia 5.9

38 Our survey s results Immigrants from the former SU and local Americans CHARACTERISTICS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION

39 Reception of the place of destination: supporting émigrés Immigrants from the former SU % Received help when they moved to the USA 66.7 Received help to settle down, financial support 50 Received help to settle down, information 40.7

40 Reception of the place of destination: discrimination scale 1: never 4: very often Immigrants from the former SU % discrimination because of their nationalities 1.4 uncomfortable feeling because they are foreign 2 feeling that they are not welcome because of their nationalities 1.8 disadvantages because of their English 2.6

41 Reception of the place of destination: naturalization Their citizenship Immigrants from the former SU % Russian 38.3 American 44.7 Russian and American 10.6

42 Characteristics of respondents: attitude toward the host country Why it is beneficial living in the USA The greatest challenges living in the USA Good career and living standard, good opportunity Immigrants from the former SU % Local Americans % Learn English Religious freedom Independence 13 - Education system Refusing socialism, communism Language Different custom Hard to get the best position Finding a job - 9.8

43 Reception of the place of destination: opinion about the immigration policy

44 Opinion about the immigration policy Statements: Do you agree that the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who have a high educational standard and are looking for a job in the USA? the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who have a high educational standard and have already found a job in the USA? the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who have a low educational standard and are looking for a job in the USA? the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who have a low educational standard and have already found a job in the USA? the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who have relatives living in the USA? the USA immigration policy should treat immigrants coming from different parts of the world differently? Local Americans (%) Immigrants from the former SU (%) Agree Disagree Agree Disagree foreign people living in the US should learn/speak English very well? an American citizen should have priority over a foreign citizen when applying for a job in the USA?

45 Summary The PUMS and our data suggest that the structures of the arrivals from the former SU s countries have changed since 1990s Immigration from these countries was selective (young and educated sectors of the population) However, these immigrants experience difficulties at the beginning, and they have to work very hard. They might not be able to work in the same profession, but they are able to provide significant opportunities for their children without any considerable disadvantage in comparison with the host society s families. They receive very little or no discrimination or exclusion Most of the local American residents have international friends, but their closest friends are American, and most of the immigrants closest friends are immigrants from their home countries Local American residents rather would support immigrants with high educational standard than immigrants who have less education or/and have relatives in the US Many local American residents think that an American citizen should have priority over a foreign citizen when applying for a job in the USA When the elements in the two factors of the integration model work this way, the adaptation occurs as a success in the long term

46 Thank you for your attention!