The Causes of external labour migration in the Guria region and their reflection in the local media

Abstract

The research aims to examine the causes of labor migration and the coverage of the issue in the local media, using the example of the Guria region. Labor migration can have social, economic, political, and multifaceted impacts, and migration rates provide insights into the socio-economic and political situation of the country. The study is relevant, as the growing number of emigrants in Georgia has been recorded for years, with the migration balance mostly being negative. One of the main reasons for leaving the country is the employment search, indicating that labor migration is a significant issue for us. Using the example of Guria, the research has allowed us to better understand the local situation, the economic and social conditions, why locals are forced to leave the region, and why they choose to migrate abroad rather than relocate within the country. It should also be noted that cases of internal migration are frequent; however, at this stage, our subject of interest is external migration. Guria was chosen due to its high unemployment rate and low average salary.As for the media analysis, it is relevant because local media play a key role in shaping perception and discourse, especially on critical issues such as labor migration.  Regarding the research methodology, qualitative research components wereused, specifically focus groups and semi-structured in-depth interviews, through which we explored the opinions of migrants, their family members, and other regional residents. Additionally, we applied qualitative content analysis to analyze how local media cover the issue. This research represents a novelty, as there is virtually no academic literature in Georgian scientific discourse that studies labor migration in a regional context. Therefore, this study will contribute new insights and conclusions. The interdisciplinary approach helped us present, on the one hand, the phenomenon of labor migration in the context of the Guria region and, on the other hand, the role and involvement of the media in covering the issue with appropriate framing.