Integration, place and ethnic identity among Georgian migrants in Germany: a generational perspective

This study examines ethnic identity, place-based belonging and integration practices among Georgian migrants in Germany, focusing on generational differences between migrants socialised during the Soviet period and the post-Soviet generation. Using a mixed-methods design combining in-depth interviews (N = 22) and a quantitative survey (N = 100), the study draws on proculturation and place identity perspectives to analyse how belonging and integration are negotiated in everyday life. The findings show that migrants of the Soviet generation display stronger symbolic attachment to the homeland and more separation-oriented integration practices, while the post-Soviet generation demonstrates more hybrid and context-dependent forms of belonging shaped by educational mobility and bicultural integration. Quantitative results reveal significant differences in place-based and temporal belonging by age, gender and citizenship status. Older participants and women reported stronger place-related belonging, while migrants holding German citizenship demonstrated higher levels of place attachment and temporal belonging. Overall, the findings show that generational location interacts with life-course trajectories and institutional contexts in shaping differentiated pathways of belonging among Georgian migrants in Germany.