Volodymyr Vakhitov
Fellow 2024/2025
Economics
Institute for Behavioral Studies, American University Kyiv
Open Society University Network/CEU Institute of Advanced Study, Budapest-Ukraine
volodymyr.vakhitov@auk.edu.ua
Bio
Volodymyr Vakhitov holds an M.A. in Economics from Kyiv Mohyla Academy and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Kentucky. He began his academic career at Kyiv School of Economics in 2008 and has over fifteen years of experience in Applied Econometrics, Spatial Economics, and Productivity Analysis. In recent years, his focus has shifted to studying behavioral patterns, particularly why people hesitate to engage in beneficial activities like vaccination or evacuation during war. Since 2022, Volodymyr has served as an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Behavioral Studies at the American University Kyiv.
His research, initially focused on why people refused to leave dangerous areas, later shifted to understanding why evacuees began returning home by the summer of 2022. He examines non-tangible factors like trust and the perception of the future, which are key to return migration.
Beyond academics, Volodymyr is active in public service. He contributed to the Academic Standards Working Group of Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and has been part of the National Council for Science and Technology Scientific Committee since 2020. His role also includes advising on Ukraine's recovery, engaging with international organizations like the British Royal Society. Since late 2023, he has participated in developing Ukraine's demographic resilience strategy.
He is a strong advocate for behavioral science and evidence-based decision-making, sharing his insights through media and his blog, BeSmart, to apply academic knowledge for societal benefit.
War-Time Return and Leaving Intentions of Ukrainians: Behavioral Perspective
Background. Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to significant displacement, with 6.3 million Ukrainians seeking refuge abroad as of January 2024. This shift presents challenges for economic planning in Ukraine. The intentions of those remaining, especially males aged 18-60 under Martial Law, are uncertain. This proposal aims to examine the factors influencing Ukrainians' relocation intentions.
Studies on Ukrainian refugees have largely focused on socio-demographics and return intentions, often overlooking emotional factors like homesickness, guilt, aspirations, and home attachments, which can impact migration decisions. Additionally, these studies face methodological challenges, such as small sample sizes and potential bias in responses. While they provide insights into refugees' current conditions, they are less effective in predicting return intentions due to endogeneity.
Research Proposal. This study will explore non-tangible factors influencing Ukrainians' relocation decisions in Poland, Germany, and Ukraine, using a behavioral approach that incorporates national identity, homesickness, trust, and risk perception. I will combine surveys with experimental methods, such as randomized control trials and discrete choice analysis, to establish the causal factors of moving intentions.
Expected Contribution. This research will offer valuable insights for academics and policymakers in Ukraine and host countries, informing post-war repatriation and resettlement strategies by understanding the motivations of forced migrants.