«Scared of what?»: Interpretations of Safety among Forced Migrants in Collective Accommodation Centres

Abstract

Previous research on refugees and camps points to numerous situations characterised by a lack of security and uncertainty for refugees, both in refugee camps and large-scale reception centres. Much less is known, however, about refugees’ experiences and practices in smaller-scale municipal asylum accommodations. This paper identifies a subject-oriented sense of security that manifests itself in socially contextualised situations, to find out what helps refugees to feel safe and which practices they use to (re)claim a sense of safety. Based on a qualitative-interpretive approach, I will use interviews to outline interpretations and practices of security among refugees in collective accommodation centres. It becomes clear that security was, is and remains an issue for residents. Their sense of safety is often influenced by past experiences. Despite the fact that the majority feel physically safe in Germany and in the accommodation centres, stress seems to persist.