Navigating liminality: Ukrainian refugees in rural Estonia

This article explores the multifaceted liminalities surrounding the lives of Ukrainian refugees in rural Estonia. While the liminal status of refugees is well-recognized, this study argues that several additional layers of liminality exist around the refugee situation—layers that are often overlooked in migration studies. Based on fieldwork conducted in Estonian rural areas in 2022, including observations and in-depth interviews with fourteen Ukrainian refugees and six key stakeholders involved in refugee integration, this research presents a nuanced view on liminality. The study reveals that during this unexpected refugee crisis, the Estonian state had troubles adjusting to the new situation, struggling to cope with the rapid influx of refugees. Additionally, the rural economy, heavily reliant on seasonal migrant labour, proved unstable and unable to provide consistent opportunities for integration. Refugees, therefore, faced multiple overlapping sources of instability that shaped their experience of liminality: (1) the unresolved aspects of their personal legal and social status, (2) the shifting and ambiguous nature of state bureaucracy, and (3) the precarious and temporary conditions of rural life. By highlighting these under-explored dimensions, the article makes a critical contribution to migration studies, offering new insights into the intersecting liminalities that shape refugee experiences. It calls for broader recognition of the socio-spatial and institutional complexities that influence refugee integration, particularly
in rural contexts, where stability is often elusive.