‘For a Secure and Stable Life’: Constructing Life Satisfaction in the ‘Migratory Careers’ of Russian Immigrant Physicians in Finland

This article investigates the subjective life satisfaction of Russian immigrant physicians in Finland. Itfocuses on how life satisfaction is subjectively experienced and interpreted post migration in a bid toidentify the resources which influence it in both work and family domains. The advantage of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Central and Eastern European Migration Review 2024-01, Vol.13 (1), p.189-210
Main Authors: Habti, Driss, Szczygieł, Nina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Migration Studies
migratory career
qualitative approach
resources
russian immigrant physicians
subjective life satisfaction
work and family domains
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Summary:This article investigates the subjective life satisfaction of Russian immigrant physicians in Finland. Itfocuses on how life satisfaction is subjectively experienced and interpreted post migration in a bid toidentify the resources which influence it in both work and family domains. The advantage of life satisfactionis taking it as a unifying cross-disciplinary conceptual framework and as a multidimensional analyticalapproach, including macro-societal, meso-relational, and micro-personal levels. We use the concept of themigratory career to analyse work and family life on migration journeys. These life evaluations are analysedusing a sociological conception of subjective life satisfaction and a psychological conception of wellbeingas guiding principles in theory and analysis. Based on 26 semi-structured qualitative interviews, the studyfinds that an interplay between societal-structural and personal-relational resources makes the intervieweessatisfied with their work and family lives. Societal-structural resources included the work environment, income,life security and stability, while personal-relational resources included social support, social trust, and familyrelationships. Beyond the classical income and job security, we find our participants’ experienced andinterpreted life satisfaction is essentially associated with outcomes of family-friendly and supportive workconditions. Moreover, social and personal security and family stability are important for their quality oflife in a characteristic Nordic social environment.
ISSN:2300-1682
DOI:10.54667/ceemr.2024.05