Savelyeva Olesya – post-graduate student. Institute of social and region study. Southern federal university. Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation.
The significant growth of the Armenian diaspora in the South of Russia explains the interest in the adaptation strategies of this group of migrants. The study of their experience in the integration of a new socio-cultural environment that allows to identify the components of effective adaptation strategies. One measure of the success of the adaptation is to acquire social status in the new social and economic environment. The main areas of economic activity of Armenians are presented on the example of the Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory.
Active economic activity of the Armenian diaspora in Krasnodar region, combined with high adaptability to market conditions contributed to an increased in comparison with the native majority of the material prosperity of the Armenian population. Not the last role was played by the fact that Russia has directed quite competitive part of Armenians, often not inferior to the level of education in Russian in Russia. In Krasnodar, educated and mobile groups of professionals, managers, entre-preneurs was much less than in the capital. But here, the Armenians, in comparison with the dominant Russian population, were presented in a sufficiently weighty proportions in groups of skilled labor.
In socio-professional terms urban Armenian population of Kuban shows traditionally high orientation on trade. It is significant that even the results of the population census of the Russian Empire in 1897 in Ekaterinodar more than 50% of the Armenian population were engaged in trade, diversified intermediation and lending. According to the 2002 census only 8% of the Armenian population is involved in trade in the Krasnodar region. But still this kind of economic activity prevalent in the Krasnodar Armenians ahead of the same period among the Russian population is almost 2 times, and explains the smaller representation of Armenians among employees. Stable reduction of the share-Armenian traders can be explained by the majority of the chosen adaptation model - life strategy only for the first generation of migrants.
Compared to the Russian Armenians in the Krasnodar region are less represented in the fields of education, industry and agriculture. A smaller representation of Krasnodar Armenians in agriculture can be explained partly by the fact that historically predominantly urban vector ethnic migration was partly forced phenomenon. As in the Krasnodar Territory, in the XXI century, the largest share of the Rostov Armenians found themselves in the wholesale and retail trade. In other areas of the employment share of Russian and Armenian population is almost the same except for an industry where there is a smaller proportion of the Armenians.
Indicating the presence of the representatives of the Armenians in a number of professional associations "Russian" regions of Southern Russia, it is now becoming more and more significant. At the same time it is not just about trade or services. There is expansion and transformation of the original socio-professional structure of the gainfully employed Armenian population. Commerce and mediation "bias" of Armenians begins to flourish under the development of new social and industrial niches, increase the presence of its representatives observed in many professional societies and social hierarchies South Russian regions, which is an indicator of successful integration.
Key words: Armenian Diaspora, the south of Russia, the urban population, the Armenian population, Russian population, migration, agriculture.
