Iryna Lapshyna – University of Osnabrück
Individual perceptions as a driver of migration aspirations. The case of Ukraine
This lecture gives an overview of how people’s perceptions of democracy and human rights such as corruption, safety and security, job opportunities, social security and quality of health care/schools affect their migration aspirations. It is be based on the results of EUMAGINE project, which studied migration-related perceptions of Europe among people aged 18-39 in four countries of origin and transit: Morocco, Senegal, Turkey and Ukraine. Four main questions are addressed. First, it explores how Ukrainians perceive life in Ukraine and how they compare these with conditions in Europe. Second, it analyses the correlation between these individual perceptions and their migration aspirations. Third, it investigates how people perceive migration meaning its consequences, advantages and disadvantages. And fourth, it describes the subsequent emergence of migration motives and aspirations. This presentation also shows that dissatisfaction with social policy in the sending country as well as positive perceptions of social policy in the destination countries are important contributors to the emergence of migration aspirations.