Perceived Control, Voluntariness and Emotional Reactions in Relocated Areas of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

[Excerpt] The Chernobyl accident occurred at a time of considerable social and economic changes in the former Soviet Union. The contamination due to the accident still covers parts of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Some areas were considered too contaminated to suit long-term human settlement and a considerable number of people were therefore moved from their homes and resettled in other areas. Resettlement policies often differed between the states. Some variations in state policy included the duration before implementation of the decision to resettle people from certain areas, the swiftness of the transition, and the acceptance of personal initiatives in the process. The policy of considering bonds between people who were to resettle also differed between states, and the social networks were more or less severely strained in the process