Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.3935/rsp.v15i1.711
Socio-Economic Conditions of the Sustainability of Return – The Example of the Serbian Returnees to Croatia
Dragan Bagić
; Odsjek za sociologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Milan Mesić
; Odsjek za sociologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
The traditional concept of the return of refugees as a one-off and final act has recently been subjected to severe criticism of the theoreticians and researchers of migrations and refugeeism. It seems that in a short period of time the realisation that the return is a complex, long and multidirectional process that can become reversible at every stage has prevailed. Monitoring of returnees has soon revealed that many of them, sooner or later, set off for new migrations. It has been concluded that it is not sufficient for the returnees to cross the border of their country once when they are returning to it, but that the return has to be successful, or sustainable. However, it was shown that the sustainability of the return is not easily determined, and especially it is not easily measured. The results of this research confirm that socio-economic conditions, both in the objective and the subjective sense, are crucial for the sustainability of the return. The return or the restitution of property (houses, apartments or land) is important, but it is not a sufficient condition for the permanent stay, particularly for younger and educated returnees with children. The key issue for them is employment and the perspectives of social mobility. As this is a rare resource that the returnees can count on, it is hardly surprising that primarily the elderly, uneducated, economically inactive people are (permanently) returning, mostly to smaller rural places.
Keywords
refugees; returnees; Serbians; Croatia; sustainability of return; socio-economic conditions
Hrčak ID:
30352
URI
Publication date:
27.2.2008.
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