Belonging and Discrimination in Times of Social Disruption: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study of Long-Settled Older Russian-Speaking Migrants

Abstract At its core, migrants’ integration involves developing a sense of belonging to their society of residence, which may be particularly challenging for older migrants. Even if belonging has been established, it is an ongoing and dynamic process that responds to sociopolitical events. This study examines the sense of belonging among long-settled older Russian-speaking migrants in Finland. It examined the period between 2019 and 2022, which included two major events, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both of which potentially intensified the othering of Russian-speaking migrants. Using two-wave data from a population-based study of Russian-speaking migrants aged 50 years and older in Finland, this study assesses the dynamics of belonging to groups labeled the “Finns,” the “Russians,” and migrants of any nationality (“migrants”) between 2019 and 2022 as well as the role of discrimination in shaping those dynamics. Our results show that belonging to the “Russians” declined, while belonging to the “migrants” became more pronounced, and belonging to the “Finns” remained stable. At the same time, reported experiences of discrimination decreased. Using longitudinal data, this study demonstrates that belonging is not a settled outcome of long-term residence but an ongoing, contingent, and at times fragile process.