Work as real life in the context of organised disintegration – a perspective on the everyday life of refugees

Abstract

ABSTRACT The contribution introduces the concept of ‘organised disintegration’. Based on an interview study conducted in Germany, the concept describes the life situation of asylum seekers and ‘tolerated’ refugees. At first, the theoretical references to the ‘total institution’ and ‘conduct of everyday life’ approaches are explained. ‘Work’ appears in the results as an arrangement of the refugees’ conduct of everyday life that is characterised by joblessness and futile search for employment. The refugees experience work as prohibited and their persistent situation as lost lifetime and as ‘human death’. At the same time, the arrangement of work is maintained as a meaningful part of ‘real life’ which begins immediately after overcoming the current legal status. The validity of the concepts that were made relevant as well as the implications for the current state of research in refugee studies are discussed in the conclusion.