Perceptions Of Refugees Research Articles

Helping in Times of War: How Uncertainty Modulates Aid to Ukrainian Refugees through Compassion and Threat

Abstract The present paper focuses on the antecedents of solidarity behavior towards Ukrainian refugees, specifically examining the role of subjective uncertainty generated in public opinion by the aggression of Ukraine on feelings of compassion and perceptions of refugees as a threat. Based on pooled data from six representative samples collected in different waves during the first six months of the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine among a representative sample of adult Italian citizens (N = 6,063), the study provided support for the intensification hypothesis, suggesting that uncertainty can act as an affective amplifier. Indeed, the results showed that uncertainty increased perceptions of refugees as a threat (acting on its emotional component, i.e., anxiety), but also feelings of compassion, which is a main driver of solidarity. Moreover, compassion seemed to reduce the (perceived) threat posed by refugees on an economic, cultural, security, or political level. The pattern of relationships tested in the model proved to be stable across different areas of the country and for the first 6 months of the Russian invasion, suggesting that the empathic concern generated by the suffering of the Ukrainian population under attack did not significantly diminish its effects over the period considered.

The impact of international NGOs on refugee support and policy influence: A global analysis

The global refugee crisis has placed unprecedented demands on humanitarian systems, with international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) playing a crucial role in supporting refugees and influencing related policies. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted impact of international NGOs on refugee support and policy influence across diverse global contexts. By synthesizing current research, policy documents, and case studies, this paper aims to enhance understanding of NGO contributions to essential services for refugees, their strategies for policy advocacy, and the complex dynamics between NGO activities and government initiatives. The review examines the effectiveness of NGO interventions in key areas such as healthcare, education, and livelihood support, analyzing their methods of policy influence through advocacy, research, and direct engagement with policymakers. It also evaluates refugee perceptions of NGO support compared to government assistance, revealing varied experiences across different contexts and types of aid. Furthermore, the paper investigates the alignment between NGO activities and official government policies on refugee management, highlighting both collaborative successes and areas of tension. The analysis reveals that while NGOs have made significant contributions to refugee welfare and policy development, challenges remain in coordination, sustainability, and adapting to diverse cultural contexts. The paper concludes with a discussion of future research directions and recommendations for enhancing NGO effectiveness in refugee support and policy advocacy, emphasizing the need for improved coordination, cultural sensitivity, and evidence-based practices in addressing the global refugee crisis.

Transit as racialized space: Comparing perceptions of refugees along the Mexico–Guatemala border

AbstractScholars have attuned to the challenges Central American migrants face along increasingly perilous northward journeys. However, most studies of “transit spaces” are relatively migrant‐centric, focusing on the meanings these spaces hold for migrants, or how particular locales are reconfigured in relation to migratory processes. There has been less attention to the meanings such places hold for long‐term inhabitants, as well as how they change over time. This article draws on long‐term ethnographic fieldwork along the Mexico–Guatemala border to compare how inhabitants perceived migrants and refugees in two different periods: narratives recalling suspicion of Guatemalan refugees in the 1980s and more recent anxieties held toward Central American migrants. Through the comparison, it problematizes how the very conceptualization of transit spaces and migrants in transit serves to uphold larger racial projects of exclusionary nationalism and the “national order of things” where territory, ethno‐racial identity, and belonging are assumed to align.

Exploring the educational frontier: teachers’ perceptions of refugees in Turkey

ABSTRACT This study aims to identify teachers’ perceptions of the concepts of ‘refugee or refugee people’ through a metaphorical study. The study uses descriptive research employing metaphors to determine teachers’ perceptions of these concepts. Study participants were 320 teachers who worked in different parts of Turkey during the 2023–2024 academic year. The results showed that most teachers feel sorry for refugees, while many hold angry feelings towards refugee people. Positive perceptions were rare. Based on teachers’ developed metaphors towards people who are refugees, these four categories emerged: anger, pity, diversity, and definition.

Local residents’ perceptions of refugees as neighbors: a qualitative analysis of community social networks, purposive guardianship, and feelings of safety

Local residents’ perceptions of refugees as neighbors: a qualitative analysis of community social networks, purposive guardianship, and feelings of safety

Impact of an Oral Health Education Program on the Oral Health Literacy of Refugees

Inadequate comprehension of healthcare information contributes to poor health outcomes. Ethnic minorities are one of the populations most affected by low health and oral health literacy (OHL). The hypothesis of the current study was that an oral health education program (OHEP) can improve the OHL, oral health awareness and behaviors of refugees. We also hypothesized that there will be a difference between OHL in English and native language in the Pre-intervention phase. Fifty-two adult refugees participated in an educational program that included a comprehensive and culturally sensitive PowerPoint presentation and hands-on learning activities on oral health topics. The study used a cross-sectional pre-post study design. Before the program (Pre-intervention group), participants completed 2 surveys: Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees in a bilingual format, and the Estimate of Oral Health Literacy-Bilingual40 (EOHL-BL40) in English, and in the participants’ native language. Immediately after an OHEP (Post-intervention group), participants completed the EOHL-BL40 survey in English only. Two weeks after OHEP (Follow-up intervention), participants completed again the Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees and the Estimate of Oral Health Literacy-Bilingual40 (EOHL-BL40) in English only. The mean percentage of words understood on Pre-intervention EOHL-BL40 survey were significantly higher in native languages (47.3% ±3.7%) compared with survey in English (15.3% ±1.2%, P < 0.001). Post-intervention scores, immediately after educational program, were higher (28.6% ±2.4%), P < 0.001) for survey in English compared with the Pre-intervention (15.3% ±1.2%). The follow-up (2 weeks later) scores (25.5% ±2.4) were slightly lower than Post-intervention but still significantly higher (P < 0.001) than Pre-intervention. Results for both Sociodemographic Survey and Oral Health Perceptions of Refugees surveys were similar: the OHEP positively affected oral health awareness and oral health behaviors. Results of the study suggested that OHEP may improve oral health literacy, oral health awareness, and personal oral hygiene practices of refugees.

“How Long Are You Gonna Stay?” Implications of Residents’ Perceptions of Refugees’ Occupational Future Time Perspective in Receiving Countries

Occupational work is a cornerstone for refugees’ integration in a receiving country, and residents’ perceptions of refugees is a key factor in this process. As compared to migrants in general, refugee migrants have been forced to leave their home country, which should have multiple implications for their integration in receiving countries. In the current study, we investigated whether residents’ perception of migration forcedness affects their expectations about migrants’ occupational future time perspectives (OFTP) in the receiving country, which in turn should correspond to expectations about migrants’ occupational integration efforts. We tested our hypotheses in a preregistered online experiment with N = 190 working adults in Germany (71% women; age: M = 50.26, SD = 10.78). The results confirmed the hypothesized negative relation between perceived migration forcedness and expected OFTP, the hypothesized positive relation between expected OFTP and expected occupational integration efforts, and the hypothesized mediation mechanism of expected OFTP. Overall, our results demonstrate that residents’ perception of migration forcedness and related OFTP are relevant processes that affect the integration of migrants into the labor market of receiving countries.

Strategic Humanitarianism: Host States and Refugee Policy

The significant rise in the number of forcibly displaced people crossing international borders, i.e., refugees, necessitates a thorough examination of the policies implemented by receiving states to manage the arrival of these vulnerable populations. This article reviews the literature on the factors that influence refugee policies, focusing on two dimensions of host state responses: admission and integration. We argue that there may be an inherent tension between refugee admissions and refugee integration policies, as countries attempt to restrict benefits when admission numbers increase. Further, we highlight how refugee policies are influenced by international and domestic constraints and priorities that can at times be conflicting or complementary. The article ultimately advocates for a systematic analysis of the endogenous relationship between refugee policies, public perception of refugees, and migration patterns.

Puppetry to educate social work practitioners: Telling the refugee story

Summary The complexities of refugee resettlement are difficult to comprehend, and alternative approaches to education may enhance empathy. Puppetry's art form often engages broad audiences, allowing puppets to tell important stories. This project developed a research-based educational puppet show to increase understanding of refugees in the United States (US). Using a mixed-method approach, this exploratory study (1) interviewed eleven refugees from five origin countries; (2) analyzed the interviews for salient themes; (3) developed a “master” play based on emergent themes; (4) delivered the play through puppetry; and (5) empirically assessed the efficacy of puppetry in disseminating information about refugees. Findings Five overarching themes regarding refugee resettlement emerged from the interviews, namely, (1) economic concerns; (2) language barriers; (3) socio-cultural differences; (4) misperceptions; and (5) altered family dynamics. Almost all 107 respondents who completed a pre- and post-show survey evidenced having gained new knowledge about resettlement in the areas of (i) refugee status; (ii) the arrival process; (iii) economic realities; (iii) adaptation issues; and (iv) refugee perceptions of opportunities in the US. Applications The salient findings of the interviews were consistent with extant literature on refugee resettlement and the 40-min research-based puppet show confirmed that puppetry can be an alternative, or supplementary, training tool. Puppetry brings life to didactic presentations for social workers and other service providers through effective portrayals of difficulties faced by both refugee and host in the adaptation process. It also suggests that puppetry can sensitize and educate practitioners on issues that can be controversial.

Shatila as a Campscape: The Transformation of Bare Lives into “Agent Lives” in Shatila Stories

Shatila camp in Beirut was founded in 1949 and now houses up to 40,000 refugees. In 2017, the Peirene Press publisher Meike Ziervogel and London-based Syrian editor Suhir Hedal travelled to the camp to hold a three-day creative writing workshop in which nine Syrian and Palestinian refugees participated. The result is Shatila Stories (2018), a brilliant piece of collaborative fiction translated from Arabic to English by Naswa Gowanlock. It is a hybrid between a novel and a short story collection, in which refugee voices are given the chance to speak up, share their stories, and negotiate their identities. This article examines Shatila Stories (2018) as a book that highlights Shatila as a campscape (Diana Martín). These stories show that the camp, as Adam Ramadan argues, is not empty of law and political life, but rather it is a meaningful space produced by who and what is in it, and how they interrelate and interact. Shatila Stories is, indeed, an effective platform that allows readers to understand how refugees’ conflicts and thoughts are processed and the ways in which refugees in Shatila accept and embody the camp’s liminality and their border subject identity to gain agency and resist the restrained passivity to which they are often relegated. Ultimately, my analysis pays attention to how these stories encourage the renegotiation of the refugees’ selfhood and counter Agamben’s perception of refugees as “bare lives” by portraying them as autonomous, active and humanized individuals in the eyes of the international reader.

‘Welcoming’ Guests: The Role of Ideational and Contextual Factors in Public Perceptions About Refugees and Attitudes about Their Integration

In this study, we aim to explore the ideational and contextual sources of perceptions about refugees. Contrary to many studies focusing on the interaction with and integration of refugees in developed countries, we examine the effect of social identity and refugee exposure on the perception of refugees in Turkey, which pose a substantive case with a background of ethnic conflict and scarce resources. We contend that social identities provide individuals with cues; however, we argue that identity type and its salience are key to understanding in-group vs. out-group formation processes, hence the perceptions about refugees. Moreover, we argue that socioeconomic status affects an individual’s support for refugee integration, as it challenges the existing status quo of access to scarce resources. Our findings challenge the conventional wisdom in migration studies by employing an original face-to-face survey among over 1,100 respondents in three cities (Istanbul, Diyarbakir, and Gaziantep) in Turkey. We find that those prioritizing national vs. religious identities reveal different levels of perceived threat. Additionally, we show that those belonging to lower-income socioeconomic groups are less supportive of refugee integration when the presence of refugees sets the ground for competition for economic and social resources where they reside.

Socio-psychological integration from the perspective of receiving communities: a cross-country comparison between Sweden, Germany, Croatia and Jordan

The socio-psychological dimension of integration is based on relations between the refugees and receiving community members revealed through intergroup thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviours. This study aimed to investigate and interpret the differences in the indicators of socio-psychological integration among the receiving communities of Sweden, Germany, Croatia and Jordan—countries with diverse socio-economic, socio-political and cultural contexts, histories of inward migration, as well as differently preferred destinations in the migration of refugees from Syria in the 2010s. The contextual differences are reflected in the attitudes of the members of receiving communities towards refugees from Syria, perceptions of realistic and symbolic threats posed by refugees, frequency and valence of intergroup contact, support for the rights of refugees and readiness to assist them, social proximity, perception of refugees’ exposure to discrimination, and the assessment of how much the refugees are a part of the respective local communities.

“We are One Team”: An evaluation of an intervention for improving relations between Turkish local and refugee adolescents

Increasing research has evidenced the negative intergroup relations in Turkey between locals and refugees. “We are One Team” (Biz Bir Takımız, WAOT) is designed as a multimodal intervention to improve the attitudes of local and refugee adolescents toward each other. WAOT utilizes sports, direct contact in a camp setting, socio-cognitive skills training, and social categorization as prejudice reduction strategies. The present study (n = 157 for Turkish locals; n = 112 for refugees, mostly Syrians and Afghans) evaluated, first, the efficacy of this project on participants’ intergroup contact intentions, outgroup perceptions, outgroup affect, and intergroup closeness by adopting a pre-and post-test design with a control group. Second, the study analyzed the role of certain participant characteristics (i.e., age, positive and frequent intergroup contact in the pre-intervention period and during the camp, and empathy levels) as moderating the intervention impacts. Findings indicated that the intervention increased both groups’ personal closeness toward outgroup members. However, while WAOT improved the outgroup perceptions of refugees, it worsened those of the locals. The intervention did not produce heightened intergroup contact intentions, positive outgroup affect, and group-level affinity for either group. Camp contact moderated the refugee and local adolescents’ gain scores regarding most intergroup variables. The moderator effects of age on outgroup perceptions and empathy on contact intentions emerged only for Turkish citizens. Lastly, pre-intervention contact moderated gain scores in all intergroup variables (except for contact intentions) only among refugees. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Uncertain futures: perceptions of refugees in a story completion task

PurposeIn recent years the movement of refugees has led to increasing negative media and political discourse about migration in the United Kingdom, particularly as the number of refugees crossing the English Channel has increased. Despite this hostility, little is known about how the UK public perceive the journeys made by refugees or the refugees themselves.Design/methodology/approachIn this study the authors used a story completion method to analyse perceptions and understandings of refugees. Participants were given the opening of a story about refugees crossing the English Channel and were asked to complete the remainder of the story. In total, 84 participants completed stories that ranged in length from two to 423 words. The stories were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.FindingsEach of the completed stories was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and three themes were generated: Conflicting emotions: Uncertainty and the relief of reaching safety after a traumatic journey; The spectre of illegality: Borders and the uncertainty of what happens next; and Welcome or unwelcome?: Cultural values of welcome and hospitality.Originality/valueThe authors argue that this original use of the story completion method highlights how participants draw on cultural narratives of hospitality and welcome and that their stories are constructed using emotional categories that are in contrast to the more binary constructions of refugees that are present in media and government discourse about refugees and the English Channel crossings.

Refugees or migrants? – Public perception of the concepts based on opinion poll results

The aim of article is to answer the questions: what is the public perception of the terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’? as well as In the light of opinion polls, are these terms equivalent or do they have a different connotation (linguistic content) and denotation (scope)? The starting point for the analysis is the identification of the dictionary-encyclopaedic, statistical and formal-legal meanings of these names. The analysis presented in the article is based on the results of the public opinion research “Social perception of refugees from Ukraine, migrants and actions taken by the Polish state”, which was carried out between 2022 and 2023 by the research LAB managed by the author. In order to holistically reconstruct the social perception of ‘refugees’ and ‘migrants’, the author developed a multidimensional indicator (index), which he called the Social Perception of Migrants Index (SPMI). The result of the analysis is the identification of the constitutive features of the names ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ as well as their denotation. The author also proposes to introduce a new concept concerning the migration crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border and the refugee crisis on the Polish-Ukrainian border, which he called a ‘hybrid humanitarian crisis’.

Linking refugees’ time perceptions and their time use

ABSTRACT Previous research has described the unique time perceptions of refugees. These have consequences for many areas of their lives: Perception of time should be expressed in the use of time, and ultimately affect the integration of refugees. The present study systematically explores this link between refugees’ time perceptions and their manifestation in patterns of time use. Data from semi-structured interviews with 18 young Syrian and Afghan refugees in Germany and five Germans with migration background were used. Results show that refugees’ time perceptions varied according to their ability to assimilate to the host country’s temporal rhythm, as well as their perception of being in control of their lives. The analysis of time use showed two groups of respondents who invested a lot of time in structured activities (employment, education) and one group of those who did not. Respondents who mostly invested time in structured activities were likely to have time perceptions characterised by either assimilation to the host country rhythm or by the attempt to navigate both home and host country rhythm at the same time, while enjoying the freedom of engagement in activities that would not be available in the home country.

Missing the Global Turn: Italy, the 1951 Refugee Convention, and the Belated Removal of the Geographical Limitation

Italy abolished the ‘geographical limitation’ permitted by the 1951 Refugee Convention only in 1990. Thereafter, it could award refugee status to people in flight from countries outside Europe. Why did Italy come so very late to this resolution? To answer this question, this article intercuts analysis on various different fronts: the strategies of successive national governments; the actual presence on Italian soil of people needing asylum, and the response of local communities; and Italy's location in the international setting. It demonstrates that until the end of the 1970s the Italian authorities continued to see the refugee issue as principally a problem for its internal policy. Italy remained disconnected from the global turn in policy on refugees, which many historians have placed in the period that spans the late 1950s and early 1960s. In their view, state institutions, voluntary agencies, and the international public experienced profound changes at this time in their perception of refugees, starting to see them as a problem at the global level rather than just affecting Europe. For Italy, however, this was not the case, and we therefore need to question the actual impact of the global turn delineated by the studies.

"Step by Step We Were Okay Now": An Exploration of the Impact of Social Connectedness on the Well-Being of Congolese and Iraqi Refugee Women Resettled in the United States.

Little is known about the gendered impacts of the displacement and resettlement process. Women are known to struggle more with feelings of belonging and the creation of social networks to access essential information, resources, and social and emotional support to enhance their overall health and well-being. The purpose of the present study was to qualitatively explore female refugee perceptions of belongingness and social connectedness post-resettlement into their U.S. host community. Conducted between January and June of 2016, through the partnership of multiple governmental, nonprofit, and community-based organizations, two female focus groups were conducted among Congolese (n = 6) and Iraqi (n = 6) U.S. resettled refugees. Descriptive surveys were distributed to participants, providing valuable insights into participant demographics and indicators that could impact the integration process (i.e., age, language, country of origin, ethnicity, education, length of time spent in the U.S., housing). Participants discussed the social connections (individuals, communities, organizations) that acted as facilitators or inhibitors of developing social capital. The importance of building strong transformational bonding (family members, other refugees) and bridging (host community) relationships, alongside transactional ties with linking agencies (resettlement social services), was critical for a positive resettlement experience. The strength of their network ties among these social connections contributed to their perceptions of belongingness and well-being post-resettlement into their host community.

Swedish civil society mobilises in response to refugees’ ‘bare life’

ABSTRACT In 2015, Sweden welcomed asylum-seekers from the mass exodus in what became known as the ‘European refugee crisis.’ However, as Swedish public perceptions of refugees shifted from sympathy to fear, the government enacted policy changes that eroded unaccompanied minor refugees’ (UMRs) rights. After witnessing refugees’ ‘bare life’ by seeing them denied politicised citizens’ rights, Sweden's civil society mobilised to assist these vulnerable young people. This paper focuses on what causes citizens to mobilise into humanitarian actors. We interviewed nineteen members of a helping network called Vi Står Inte Ut (We Can't Stand It), investigating their reasons for mobilising. Using sentiment analysis, we identified ‘high points’ or salient experiences by evaluating participants’ sentiments and linguistic cues, with many centreing on witnessing bare life. Some participants were activated through individual experiences, while policies or events, like mass deportations, moved others. Many participants had varied cumulative experiences, but most high points occurred in response to the enactment of unjust policies, with many ultimately distrusting their government. Crucially, knowledge of citizen mobilisation is essential in the wake of new migration flows, coupled with the routine inadequacies demonstrated by Western governments in response to such crises.

Germans’ awareness of refugees’ information barriers regarding health care access: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn light of their experiences on the refuge and upon their arrival in the receiving society, refugees may have differentiated needs regarding health care. However, negative attitudes of the members of the receiving society and a lack of information pose as barriers for refugees when trying to access health care services. In that sense, it is largely unknown, which antecedents positively affect Germans’ perception of information barriers that refugees face. Based on an extended version of the Empathy-Attitude-Action model, this study examined selected predictors of problem awareness in the form of perceived information barriers that refugees face, emphasizing the role of positive intercultural contact experiences.MethodsA sample of members of the receiving society, here: Germans (N = 910) completed a cross-sectional online survey with validated self-report measures. From the perspective of Germans, assessments covered positive intercultural contact, attitudes on refugees’ rights, the recognition of refugees’ socio-emotional support needs as a form of cognitive empathy, and the perception of refugees’ information barriers when accessing health care. We conducted structural equation modeling to examine hypothesized latent associations and specified three different models with unidirectional paths between the study variables, each allowing another direct path from intercultural contact to the variables. We determined the best model using the chi-square-difference test and tested for indirect effects along the paths through bias-corrected bootstrapping.ResultsOur results show consistency with the Empathy-Attitude-Action model. We found Germans’ cognitive empathy toward refugees to be associated with more positive attitudes and a greater awareness of refugees’ information barriers. We further found more positive intercultural contact to be associated with greater cognitive empathy toward refugees and with more positive attitudes. While these contact experiences showed a slightly direct negative effect on Germans’ perception of refugees’ information barriers to accessing health care, the indirect effects via cognitive empathy and positive attitudes were positive.ConclusionPrevious positive intercultural contact may be directly and indirectly linked to greater awareness for refugees, helping Germans as the receiving community (1) to become more empathetic toward refugees, (2) to improve their attitudes toward refugees’ rights and to (3) raise consciousness for information barriers that refugees face when trying to access health care services.