Intergenerational family solidarity of immigrants from two successor states of former yugoslavia living in Austria

Abstract

Intergenerational Family Solidarity (IGFS) is important for social cohesion and challenged by migration. Scientific evidence on how migrants sustain IGFS is scarce. In 2016, 421,875 migrants from different Former Yugoslav Republics were residing in Austria, the majority coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina (162.021) and Serbia (137.057). Immigrants from these countries are predominantly economic migrants who came in the 1960s and refugees of the Balkan wars in the 1990s. A literature review showed that intergenerational solidarity in migrant families in Austria is hardly covered by previous research. No published studies explicitly dealing with this subject were found. To generate more understanding, three migrant women who migrated as refugees in the 1990s from Bosnia and Serbia were asked about their family structures, family life, and family solidarity through semi-structured in-depth interviews based on qualitative sociological method. Results show that although immigration has weakened IGFS in terms of frequency of contact, high normative solidarity prevails and results in feelings of guilt and non-met family responsibilities. Support of parents and relatives is sustained by sending money and goods to the home country.