Abstract
Aim. This study aims to explore and analyse qualitative research on refugee and asylum-seeker interventions for social inclusion that engages a creative, arts-based community approach. Method. The article describes a meta-study towards discovering meta-theory, meta-methods, and meta-findings across articles on the subject. For this purpose, a broad database search was conducted, which resulted in a total of 7 articles after filtering according to the previously defined exclusion criteria. These articles were analysed by two independent researchers and later reviewed by two independent evaluators. Results and conclusion. There was an overarching lack of definitions and distinction of and for the terms refugee, migrant and asylum-seeker. A similar problem could also be found regarding social inclusion and integration which were, at times, used interchangeably. Additionally, the majority of the studies opted for an ethnographic approach despite choosing different methods within the said approach. Concerning the meta findings, three main themes emerged across research: space of expression and confidence; transformation process to agency and citizenship; and exchange and dialogue between the host community and arrivals. These themes were discussed and reflected upon, and limitations were pointed out. Originality. Having identified the lack of refugee and asylum-seeker voices within migration studies, this article sets out to counteract this issue by having included only those articles that provided space for refugee and asylum-seeking individuals to speak up, thereby authentically understanding arts-based social inclusion interventions from a new and neglected angle.
Highlights
All over the world, the number of people fleeing from their homes is on a dramatic rise
The reasons for including articles in the analysis were that they presented art interventions which were composed on a community-level; that these interventions aimed at enhancing and promoting social inclusion; that they focused on adults; and that refugees and asylum-seekers (RAS) themselves were the beneficiaries of the interventions
As expected, the terms “refugee,” “asylum-seeker,” and “migrant” were often not distinguished within the studies, which was expected since there is debate surrounding whether such a distinction is possible (Crawley & Skleparis, 2018; Scalettaris, 2007)
Summary
The number of people fleeing from their homes is on a dramatic rise. By the end of 2019, UNHCR counted 4.2 million asylum-seekers and 26 million refugees in the world, representing the highest number ever seen. Pertinent to the inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers (RAS) into the host societies are community-based approaches. Community-based approaches are crucial as they mobilise individuals and communities, offer them support and empower them, whilst respecting their individual rights. The target communities (e.g., RAS) are able to participate in decision-making and are kept informed throughout the whole process (UNHCR, 2008). Another important aspect of community-based approaches is that they allow RAS to establish new community links (Williams & Thompson, 2010)
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