MIGRATION AS A CHALLENGE, SOURCE, AND INSTRUMENT OF INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

Abstract

Under the conditions of a large-scale, protracted war and the mass forced displacement of Ukraine’s population, research on the resilience of the state and the impact of migration processes on individual and societal resilience is of exceptional relevance. Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to analyze the interrelationship between resilience and migration in the specific historical context of Ukraine. To achieve this goal, general scientific methods of cognition were applied: systemic, structural-functional, comparative, and historical. The novelty of the results lies in identifying the relationship between migration and resilience and formulating recommendations for migration policy measures aimed at strengthening the resilience of individuals and society as a whole in the context of migration.

The article demonstrates the ambivalent impact of migration on resilience, which acts both as a challenge and as an instrument of individual and societal resilience. It highlights that forced population displacements generate considerable social, economic, cultural, and political risks, yet simultaneously protect individuals from threats to life and health while creating opportunities for rebuilding lives and pursuing further development. At the individual level, migration is associated with the loss of social ties, marginalization, and psychological trauma, but it also facilitates the formation of adaptive strategies and resilience. At the macro level, for countries of origin, population outflow reduces pressure on labor markets and social welfare systems, provides remittances that are vital for households and national economies, and contributes to the development of human capital through knowledge and skills acquired by migrants abroad, while simultaneously entailing risks of demographic decline and brain drain. For host countries, the inflow of migrants supports economic growth and labor force renewal, yet also generates challenges for social cohesion, potentially fueling societal radicalization and strengthening far-right movements. Migration’s influence on cultural and political resilience is ambivalent. For Ukrainian war refugees, the preservation of national identity, language, and culture has become both an act of resistance and a source of resilience, as well as a means of promoting Ukrainian culture abroad. At the same time, the cultural resilience of Ukrainians abroad — particularly among children and youth growing up in foreign cultural environments — faces significant challenges. Politically, Ukrainians abroad act as agents of public diplomacy, shaping public opinion in host societies and thereby encouraging governments to support Ukraine. Despite its negative consequences, the mass presence of Ukrainians abroad enhances the international legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and establishes new channels of influence on international relations through the diaspora.

The study concludes that resilience is a socially significant phenomenon and should therefore be recognized as a key objective of political action. Migration policy, as a tool of crisis management — particularly in addressing the destructive effects of mass forced displacements caused by armed conflict — should aim not only to mitigate risks but also to harness the potential of migration as a resource for Ukraine’s recovery and sustainable development during the war and throughout the post-war reconstruction process. Among the directions of such a policy are finding a sustainable solution to the problems of internally displaced persons in the interests of both the displaced and the host communities, creating conditions for the return of war refugees to their homeland, and strengthening ties with Ukrainians abroad as part of the Ukrainian nation.

REFERENCES / ЛІТЕРАТУРА

1. UNDRR (2015). Sendai Framework Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. https://www.undrr.org/terminology/resilience

2. Bulek, M., & Lutsevych, O. (2020). Resilient Ukraine: Protecting society from Russian aggression. https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/2020-09-17-resilientukraine-boulegue-lutsevych-ukainian.pdf

[Булек, М., & Луцевич, О. (2020). Стійка Україна. Захист суспільства від російської агресії].

3. Keck, M., & Sakdapolrak, P. (2013). What Is Social Resilience? Lessons Learned and Ways Forward. Erdkunde, 67, 5—18. https://doi.org/10.3112/erdkunde.2013.01.02

4. Anderson, B., Poeschel, F., & Ruhs, M. (2020). COVID-19 and systemic resilience: What role for migrant workers? International Organization for Migration (IOM). Geneva. https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/systematic-resilience.pdf

5. Pavlyk, N., Gordon, M., & Olentsevych, N. (2024). Social integration of internally displaced persons in host communities: Survey results. Social Pedagogy: Theory and Practice, 2, 73—79. https://doi.org/10.12958/1817-3764-2024-2-73-79

[Павлик, Н., Гордон, М., & Оленцевич Н. (2024). Соціальна інтеграція людей зі статусом ВПО у приймаючих громадах: результати опитування. Соціальна педагогіка: теорія та практика, 2, 73—79].

6. Myronovych, S., Machlouzarides, M., Sereda, P., & Dagli-Hustings, I. (2024). Sharp wave 3. Big picture report. Resilience during the Full-Scale War. Data from 2022, 2023 and 2024. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-07/doc_pfrukr24_ wave_3_report_v4.pdf

7. UNHCR, & Ombudsman (2025). Protection survey in Ukraine No. 1. https://drive. google.com/file/d/1JhVsTgW3GD9lVDZG7KJl5VbSRV_aLOPT/view?fbclid=IwY2xjawL7IONleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoT2t6RjVOdE5QV0xaMGhUAR62O _p8o1UgdLmp9d_XJExxcnj9Rq268qY5l3TRUsHnnErqmRoQ84Vf1o11gA_aem_7Xratz 1P438 EjmY8P6nMNw

[УВКБ ООН, & Омбудсмен (2025). Опитування з питань захисту в Україні № 1].

8. Shvarts, K. (2024). Millions of broken families due to the war. Unian. https://www.unian. ua/society/viyna-v-ukrajini-milyoni-rozbitih-simey-the-economist-rozkriv-glibinutragediji-12684618.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[Шварц К. (2024). Мільйони розбитих сімей через війну. УНІАН].

9. Aiyar, S., Barkbu, B. B., …. & Topalova, P. et al. (2016). The Refugee Surge in Europe: Economic Challenges. Staff Discussion Notes, 2016/002. https://doi.org/10.5089/97815 13552590.006

10. Kozhemiakin, S. (2025). Poland earned billions of dollars from Ukrainians: An impressive amount revealed. oboz.ua. https://www.obozrevatel.com/ukr/ekonomika-glavnaya/economy/ polscha-zarobila-milyardi-dolariv-na-ukraintsyah-nazvano-vrazhayuchu-sumu.htm?utm_ source=chatgpt.com

[Кожемякін, С. (2025). Польща заробила мільярди доларів на українцях: названо вражаючу суму. oboz.ua].

11. Deloitte, & UNHCR (2025). Analysis of the impact of refugees from Ukraine on the economy of Poland. https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/116621

12. IMPACT (2025). Getting by, not moving up: Labour Market Integration of Ukrainian Women Refugees in Poland — Longitudinal Survey of Ukrainian Refugees, Round 32. https://reliefweb.int/report/poland/getting-not-moving-labour-market-integrationukrainian-women-refugees-poland-longitudinal-survey-ukrainian-refugees-round-32- may-2025-enuk?utm_source=chatgpt.com

13. Schwartz, D. (2025). Almost 300 thousand Ukrainians are employed in Germany. DW. https://www.dw.com/uk/v-nimeccini-pracevlastovani-majze-300-tisac-ukrainciv/a-71673400#:~:text=...

[Шварц Д. (2025). В Німеччині працевлаштовані майже 300 тисяч українців. DW].

14. UK Government (2025). Analysis of Ukrainian Nationals in employment in the UK, March 2022 to June 2025. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysisof-ukrainian-nationals-entering-employment-in-the-uk

15. Sologoub, I. (2024). Return or stay? What factors impact the decisions of Ukrainian refugees. Vox Ukraine. https://voxukraine.org/povernutysya-chy-zalyshytysya-yaki-chynnykyvplyvayut-na-rishennya-ukrayinskyh-bizhentsiv#_ftnref2

[Cологуб, І. (2024). Повернутися чи залишитися? Які чинники впливають на рішення українських біженців. Вокс Україна].

16. NBU (2024). Private remittances. https://bank.gov.ua/files/ES/Perekaz_y.pdf?utm_source= chatgpt.com

[НБУ (2024). Приватні перекази].

17. Worldbank (2025). Ukraine. https://data.worldbank.org/country/ukraine?locale=ru&utm_ source=chatgpt.com

18. Edwards, M., & Berdynskykh, K. (2024). Ukraine lays its tracks to Europe. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/07/04/ukraine-trains-railways-transit-war-russia-europe/

19. Świdrowska, E. & Stano, K. (2025). Refugee students from Ukraine in Polish schools. Whath as changed in the 2024/2025 school year? Data analysis report. Center for Citizenship Education in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). https://ceo.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Enrollment-report_CEO_UNICEF_ 10.2024_ENG-1.pdf

20. Pavlyuk, O. (2025). A record number of Ukrainian students are studying in Germany. European Pravda. https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2025/07/14/7215911/#:~:text=...

[Павлюк, О. (2025). У Німеччині вчиться рекордна кількість українських учнів. Європейська правда].

21. Gorbachev, S. (2025). Almost 356,000 Ukrainian children study simultaneously in two schools: remotely in Ukraine and in-person abroad. New Ukrainian School. https://nus. org.ua/2025/02/05/majzhe-356-tysyach-ukrayinskyh-ditej-navchayetsya-odnochasno-udvoh-shkolah-dystantsijno-v-ukrayinskij-i-ochno-za-kordonom-mon/...

[Горбачов, С. (2025). Майже 356 тисяч українських дітей навчається одночасно у двох школах: дистанційно в українській і очно за кордоном. Нова Українська школа].

22. National University «Lviv Polytechnic» (2023). MIOC presented the results of the study «Ukrainian schooling abroad: How the war in Ukraine affected it». https://lpnu.ua/news/ miok-prezentuvav-rezultaty-doslidzhennia-ukrainske-shkilnytstvo-za-kordonom-iakvplynula-viina?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[Національний університет «Львівська політехніка» (2023). МІОК презентував результати дослідження «Українське шкільництво за кордоном: як вплинула війна в Україні»].

23. Bezpyatchuk, Zh., & Karpyak, O. (2021). «Dead Land» of Donbas: How Flooded Mines Are Destroying the Region. BBC News Ukraine. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/features58360575

[Безп’ятчук, Ж., & Карп’як, О. (2021). «Мертва земля» Донбасу. Як затоплені шахти знищують регіон. BBC News Україна].

24. Public Health Center of Ukraine. (2025). The war that destroys all living things. https:// phc.org.ua/news/viyna-scho-znischue-vse-zhive-u-den-dovkillya-govorimo-proekologichni-naslidki-rosiyskoi

[Центр громадського здоров’я України (2025). Війна, що знищує все живе].

25. ІОМ (2024). Pathway for regular migration: perceptions of migrant workers and recovery in Ukraine. https://ukraine.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1861/files/documents/2025-01/iom_ ukr_pathways-for-regular-migration_perceptions-of-migrant-workers-and-recovery-inukraine_july-2024.pdf

26. Rating Group (2023). Sociological survey for Independence Day. https://www.ratinggroup. ua/news/soc-olog-chne-dosl-dzhennya-do-dnya-nezalezhno-uyavlennya-pro-patr-otizmta-maybutn-ukra-ni-16-20-se

[Rating Group (2023). Соціологічне дослідження до Дня Незалежності].

27. Andrushko, Y., & Lanza, S. T. (2024). Exploring Resilience and Its Determinants in the Forced Migration of Ukrainian Citizens: A Psychological Perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21 (11), 1409. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111409

28. Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (2021). Official Journal of the European Union. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/241/oj