International Journal of Sociology Civics Research

Migration Networks and Diaspora Resilience: The Case of a Greek Micro-Diaspora in Zurich

Olympia Papaevangelou¹, Konstantina Pappa², Alexandros Triantafyllidis³, Kyriakos Kononiouk⁴

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Abstract

This study investigates the role of social networks in the formation, maintenance, and reproduction of migration, focusing on the case of a Greek micro-diaspora originating from Livadero, Kozani, and settled in Zurich, Switzerland. The research is based on a qualitative case study and draws on semi-structured interviews with first-, second-, and younger-generation migrants. Its aim is to highlight how kinship, friendship, and local ties facilitated the movement, settlement, and social integration of migrants. The findings show that social networks functioned not only as general forms of support but as everyday, practical mechanisms of assistance. Participants described how many newcomers were temporarily hosted by relatives or fellow villagers, received information about available job vacancies, were guided through the first administrative procedures, and were gradually integrated into the local Greek community of Zurich. In this way, the initial settlement of certain community members created the conditions for the successive migration of relatives, friends, and fellow villagers. Of particular importance is the fact that these networks were not confined to the first migrant generations. On the contrary, they were maintained and reactivated after the economic crisis of 2009, supporting new forms of mobility, even of individuals with high educational and professional capital. The study argues that migration is not merely an individual decision but a socially organized process, based on trust, common origin, collective memory, and the intergenerational transfer of experiences. Overall, the case of Livadero highlights the significance of micro-diasporas as resilient transnational communities, capable of maintaining active ties and reproducing migratory pathways over time.

Keywords: migration networkschain migrationmicro-diasporasocial capitalZurichLivaderotransnationalismnetwork resilience

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Licensed under CC BY 4.0.