Abstract
The movement of individuals or groups from one social formation and cultural context to another, emigration and immigration, involves the necessity of subjects to familiarize themselves with new a social reality and re-orientate their biographical prospects. The actors adopt various forms of action and integration strategies, depending on the way they perceive (1) the possibilities offered and limits set by the context of their new social environment and (2) the skills they have, as well as the personal and external resources they possess and would consider utilizing.
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The research involved (a) collecting and processing all available quantitative data, (b) conducting semi-structured interviews with experts, as well as (c) conducting biographical narrative interviews with Pontian newcomers. Specifically, the research team conducted 14 biographical interviews. The method of the „narrative interview“ (Schuetze 1983) involves dividing life history into thematic units which allows the interviewer to utilise a narrative mode while exposing an order of events. This offers the narrator more ability to construct and articulate his/her statements according to own priorities and conceptual framework. Sampling was not made based on statistical division, but rather rested on the logic of theoretical sampling. In particular, sampling was based on the following criteria: participation in organized support and social policy programs, success or failure of entrepreneurial undertakings and gender.
See Voutira (1991).
Greeks remaining in the Soviet Union after revolution number between 300.000 and 440.000, the vast majority of whom, i.e. 80 %, were farmers (Agtzidis 1996: 79–80).
A relative census research on the total population of migrated individuals showed the main cause of migration to Greece was the desire to go back to „homeland“ (42 %), „civil wars and terrorism“ are the most important cause for 25 %, while 22 % stated unemployment in the USSR as the main reason for moving to Greece (Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace 2000, p. 29 and 52–53).
See Alheit/ Dausien (1999), Goffman (1961).
See Serdedakis et al (2002:151).
See Mavreas (1998).
According to official data published by the Greek state, 74 % (about 115,000 persons) were settled in Macedonia and Thrace, while 22 % of the repatriated Pontians were settled in Athens. More specifically, Thrace, where the program of the National Foundation was mainly implemented, has hosted 14.8 % of repatriated Pontians, with 22.984 registered individuals living in 6.583 households (Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace 2000, p. 40–41).
27% of the families in the target group can be considered as having few members (up to three members), while the corresponding number in Greece was, according to the 1981 census, 52,6 %. The average number of members per family was 4,49 for USSR and 4,51 for Greece. At the same time, the corresponding number was 3,49 for the indigenous Greeks according to the 1981 census. See, Kasimati et. al. (1992) pp. 133–136.
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Papaioannou, S., Tsiolis, G., Serdedakis, N. (2008). Pontian newcomers in Greece. In: Apitzsch, U., Kontos, M. (eds) Self-Employment Activities of Women and Minorities. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90816-8_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-90816-8_13
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