The role of religion in protecting older Romanian migrants from loneliness

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of religion in protecting older Romanian migrants from loneliness

AU - Ciobanu, R.O.

AU - Fokkema, T.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - This article explores qualitatively how and to what extent religion protects older Romanian migrants from loneliness. The analysis is based on fieldwork research in two Swiss cantons and in neighbouring France among 30 Romanian migrants aged 57+. The sample is heterogeneous, made up of persons who fled the communist regime in their youth and others who migrated later in life for work or to be with their families. The fieldwork research points towards a population that is coping successfully with migration and other challenges, many of whom did not report feelings of loneliness. In an increasingly laic occidental world, many of the Romanian participants in our research appear to be religious and go to church; this often protects them from loneliness, whether they migrated 30 years or 7 months ago. The article concludes with study limitations, implications and directions for further research.

AB - This article explores qualitatively how and to what extent religion protects older Romanian migrants from loneliness. The analysis is based on fieldwork research in two Swiss cantons and in neighbouring France among 30 Romanian migrants aged 57+. The sample is heterogeneous, made up of persons who fled the communist regime in their youth and others who migrated later in life for work or to be with their families. The fieldwork research points towards a population that is coping successfully with migration and other challenges, many of whom did not report feelings of loneliness. In an increasingly laic occidental world, many of the Romanian participants in our research appear to be religious and go to church; this often protects them from loneliness, whether they migrated 30 years or 7 months ago. The article concludes with study limitations, implications and directions for further research.

KW - older migrants

KW - loneliness

KW - social networks

KW - coping strategies

KW - religion

KW - SSCI

U2 - 10.1080/1369183X.2016.1238905

DO - 10.1080/1369183X.2016.1238905

M3 - Article

SN - 1369-183X

VL - 43

SP - 199

EP - 217

JO - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

JF - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

IS - 2

ER -