Life Strategies of Migrants from Crisis Regimes: Achiever or Survivor?

This book offers a profoundly new examination of life strategies of migrants from regimes in crisis. By focusing on the unique paired comparison of two opposing life strategies—the dynamic, risk-taking and future-oriented 'achievement life strategy' and the conservative, risk-minimizing and survival-oriented 'survival life strategy'—this volume takes migration from post-independence Ukraine to Australia as a central case study to show how people shape their lives in response to regime transitions and crises; what life strategies individuals pursue to cope with social change; and why these individuals chose migration to Australia. Ultimately, the book compels us to reassess what we mean by migration and regime crisis in order to adequately respond to the global challenges confronting numerous democracies today. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology and politics with interests in migration, political theory and democracy.