St. Petersburg’s experience in resolving of urban national conflicts

Abstract

The second most popular Russian city with international migrants, St. Petersburg experiences severe difficulties with the integration of migrants, in particular the large scale of migration, imbalances in the relationships between the local population and migrants, the growth of a shadow market, and the lack of effective measures for integration. International migrants have their own system of values and lifestyles that cannot be easily integrated into the host society. The main aim of this study is to evaluate problems of integration and their effects on the city’s social and cultural situation, and to analyze the potential of existing programs and developments oriented to reducing the intensity of national conflicts in St. Petersburg. The study uses the following methods: analysis of aspects of integration in the migration law of the Russian Federation, with a detailed overview of the integration situation in St. Petersburg; assessment of the efficiency of integration programs for international migrants implemented in the city; development of guidelines for enhancing the efficiency of the national integration policy based on positive practices. The results of the study show that St. Petersburg has potential for successful integration of migrants into the population: the activity of social organizations and involvement of city authorities provide an effective formula that requires but one more component: the wish of migrants themselves to adapt and to integrate into the local population.