Endre Sik: About escaping, refugees and the sociological characterstics of the birth of the the refugee system

Hungary, 1988-1991

80-90% with Hungarian origin Representative survey (1989) Average: 31 years old 2/3: male, 1/3: female 53% finished high school, 8% high degree; 78% has profession 2/3 lived in their own flat 56% came from border regions 51% Reformed, 43% Catholic

Labor market

96% active, 95% has a job 86% collective sector At the beginning more casual work, later less Personal relations helped a lot in getting a job

Housing
Connected with the way of crossing the border Legally: at relatives (81%), refugee camp (13%) Illegally: at relatives (31%), refugee camp (38%) By 1989: the housing is relatively normal Having personal relations in Hungary increases

the possibility of getting a flat

2 things that they could take from home: car (13%), money (40%) -> bribing Cultural capital Personal relations
Gathering information, organizing life 74% relatives in Hungary, 50% in the West Averagely they have been to Hungary 7 times Within those who have higher degree all the

figures are higher Creating new relations -> successful integration

Offering help:
Right after their arrival was more intensive Types: Money: from strong relations Consumers good: from anyone Nutrition: from the stronger relations towards the weaker in decreasing ratio Clothes: from anybody Advice: more from stronger relations

Social (and administrative) care

Firstly, temporary residence permit -> the

administration got more and more liberal Averagely they got in touch with 5 organizations, from 4 they received financial support

Refugee -> Hungarian society: ambivalent

47% received help 40% mentioned harm

Hungarian society -> Refugee

17% has relation with them, 9-13% helps them Their characteristics: better off, active life Attitudes: mostly negative Being afraid of the increasing number of refugees

Cant be connected to the increasing number of refugees, because it didnt increase (19891990) Its connected to the special model of judging Good-bad dual economic model Short term: refugee is not profitable for the person, in long term yes Decrease in standard of living results in the increase of prejudices Media strengthens the process In the future the prejudices will grow further

The impact of the migrant network on the level of success of the escaping
Forced migrant ~ refugee (sociologically) Short time, forced Less chance for converting the capital Reducing the crisis is costly

-> personal relations importance increases

Escaping
Types: from calamities to planned migration Unknown field: less resources, in more difficult

circumstances Crossing the border legally or illegaly

Survey:19-35 years old

Model of reconverting
The possessions can be converted The tools for getting a high salary cannot Other resources are evaluated more: Human capital Relation capital Used resources for escaping Two new resources: Personal relations Social care system Successfulness: Possessions Salary

Participants
Governmental: coordination committees Non-governmental: played an important role

Pre-history
Intelligentsia keeping in touch with them Churches Former refugees who lived in Hungary

History
1987: Formula1 1988: Szrs Resolution, Settlement Fund Social (church) care system being created

History (cont.)
Why the social system? Lack of laws, mankind red tape -> lack of information Their appearance was unexpected and then

couldnt talk about them -> crisis started Reactions:

Non-governmental sphere: trying to help Governmental: limited, but mankind behavior -> Caritas: not the privilege of the church -> Committment can change the rules of an institution Newly created organizations: personality counts

Politicization Conflicts between thte institutions

Pre-history
WWI, WWII, socialism

Innocence
Refugees suddenly -> what to do with them? Hungary was not prepared -> offering help

The loss of innocence

Prejudices

UNCHR
Representation, offering help, cooperation, doing

research, etc.