Миграционные планы молодежи Северного Кавказа в контексте привязанности к региону

Социологические исследования. 2026. Т. 2. С. 86–98.

Omelchenko E. L., Lisovskaya I.

The article explores how migration plans of young people in the North Caucasus are shaped by their emotional and symbolic attachment to place. Using the theoretical framework of the “sense of place,” the authors examine how young residents interpret the decision to stay or leave in relation to family ties, cultural norms, and regional identity. The study applies a mixed- methods strategy combining 86 semi-structured interviews with students and working youth aged 20–35 and a quantitative survey (N = 1609) conducted in five cities – Nalchik, Cherkessk, Stavropol, Pyatigorsk, and Vladikavkaz. The findings reveal that migration intentions are deeply intertwined with local belonging, dense kinship and friendship networks, and perceptions of moral obligation toward family and community. Even when unable to leave, young people construct personal “horizons of possibility,” balancing aspirations for mobility with the comfort of familiar social environments. Differences between cities show varying degrees of perceived freedom and opportunity, yet across the region migration decisions are filtered through the prism of local identity and attachment to place. The research contributes to the sociology of youth mobility and regional development by highlighting the coexistence of dependency and agency within localized moral economies of the North Caucasus.

Keywords: Северный Кавказ, the North Caucasus, молодежная миграция, sense of place, чувство места, youth migration