Пространствена мобилност и социални неравенства

Abstract

The paper presents qualitative research of temporary migrants. This group represents a challenge to the P.Bourdieu’s notion of isomorphism between social and physical space, because temporary migrants are twice deterritorialized – the place they stay at is incidental; the place they belong has been abandoned. So, it is interesting to study to which social stratification system they compare themselves – to that of their place of belonging or to that of their place of work. Z. Bauman argues that there is a relation between spatial mobility and social inequalities – for him world is divided into two main types: global cosmopolitan individuals, who are alike; and people doomed to their specific locality, whenever they go; so migration does not help the poor people to go out from the ghetto. The analysis of the temporary emigrants’ interviews leads to a different conclusion: The living abroad itself, regardless of one’s role there, is a part of a more prestigious status, because the transition period has enhanced the periphery complex of Bulgaria, and globalization has made the West not only a prestigious destination, but a “Center that holds”, the very movement towards the Center is a part of the status in itself. Spatial mobility becomes a part of the vertical mobility, especially when the social hierarchies have messed up.The analysis shows that we are witnessing the crash of all normative concepts, prescriptive models of behavior and belonging, and reinvention of individual Self as the only important topos, as Ulrich Beck argues. This ideological reinvention of the self crashes the group identities and social solidarities, and in that way it prevents the acute feelings of social inequalities and blocks political struggle for overcoming them.