The changes of acculturation strategies among highly skilled immigrant youth in the year of the pandemic

Abstract

The study deals with the acculturation strategies of highly skilled young immigrants living in Hungary. The acculturation processes are interpreted in cultural and relational dimensions. The composition of the contact networks was investigated by means of the so-called personal contact network map, which allowed for the examination of the physical availability, cultural affiliation and emotional closeness of the contacts. Data collection was carried out in two waves, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Although with a low number of participants (N=30), the same individuals were interviewed in the period before the first recorded coronavirus infection in the country (early 2020) and in the period of strict epidemiological restrictions (early 2021). Respondents with favourable sociodemographic characteristics had an extensive network of contacts in both years and the extent of their network of contacts showed only a slight decrease. For most respondents, the orientation towards the host country had weakened and acculturation strategies had shifted towards disintegration. In terms of the composition of the egocentric networks of contacts, there was a decrease in the proportion of contacts belonging to the host society, mainly of weaker ties, promoting integration acculturation strategies, while there was an increase in the proportion of contacts belonging to respondents’ own ethno-cultural group or to other migrant groups, promoting a segregationist, transmigration and isolationist strategy. In this paper, we attempt to explore and understand these processes in more depth. The aim of the study is to qualitatively characterise the different acculturation strategies and their changes.