Micro-level Initiatives to Facilitate the Integration of Resettled Refugees

Author(s): Piotr Teodorowski / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2020

Integration, a two-way process involving refugees and the host population, is a politically contentious issue. Successful integration of newcomers in a receiving community is required to create a cohesive society. Yet, there is still little understanding of how integration strategies are employed at a community level. This paper explores how micro-level activities such as education in local schools, lifelong learning and community activities delivered within the council area influence integration of refugees. It is based on a case study of one of the Scottish councils which decided to welcome Syrian refugees in 2015 and had no prior experience of refugees’ relocation. The findings showed the role of micro-level initiatives in the successful integration and proved that even a council with no prior experience of relocating refugees could build a cohesive community upon their arrival.

Understanding the Reconstruction of Personal Networks Through Residential Trajectories

Author(s): Olga Ganjour,Eric D. Widmer,Gil Viry,Jacques-Antoine Gauthier,Vincent Kaufmann,Guillaume Drevon / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2020

This article examines how residential trajectories influence the spatiality and composition of personal networks. Three mechanisms are considered: the addition of spatially close network members, the selection of spatially distant network members, and the substitution of spatially distant network members by spatially close ones. An ego-centred network analysis combined with sequence analysis of residential experiences is used to capture the personal networks and the residential trajectories of individuals from two birth cohorts in Switzerland. A series of regression models test the association between the types of personal networks that individuals develop, in terms of both spatial dispersion and composition, and their residential trajectories. The results show that individuals who moved far away from their place of birth are embedded in large and diversified personal networks, which include spatially distant relatives, local nuclear family members, and local friends. On average, individuals who experienced residential migration have larger and more diverse personal networks than individuals who stayed close to their place of birth. The addition mechanism accounts for much of this greater diversity.

Göçün Güvenlikleştirilmesi Bağlamında Bulgaristan’ın Suriyeli Göçmenlere Yönelik Politikası

Author(s): Kader Özlem / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 35/2020

The studies on ‘security-migration’ nexus has increased with being perceived as a security threat of the international migrations in the post-Cold War period. The Copenhagen School as a critical security approach in the context of International Relations Theories has contributed to understand the subject how migrations have been securitized specifically. From this point of view, the relation between migration and security policies of Bulgaria is going to be analyzed during period of Syrian Civil War. As known, following the beginning of Syrian Civil War plenty of Syrians have started to migrate towards Western European countries through Turkey. Bulgaria as a transit country has constructed this migration wave that she has never seen before as a security threat by securitizing it rapidly. The main scope of this study is to analyze Bulgaria’s policies towards Syrian migrants and this securitization process from the multidimensional perspective.

Characteristics of migrants coming to Europe: A survey among asylum seekers and refugees in Germany about their journey

Author(s): Sebastian Paul / Language(s): English Issue: 6/2020

The year 2015 was significant in the history of the EU when millions of asylum seekers and refugees from the Middle East and Africa fled to Europe. Where some European countries accept immigrants from non-EU regions, others blame migrants for taking advantage of the social systems in Europe and followed restrictive policy measures. Thus, everyone speaks about migrants, but not with migrants. The article examines the characteristics of asylum seekers and refugees and their motives for coming to Europe. Over 100 interview-based surveys were conducted in this study. The findings of the paper show who these people are and from where they originated. Furthermore, there is evidence supporting the hypothesis that the majority of people flee because of severe danger (e.g., armed conflicts) and are not ‘economic migrants’ despite the claims of nationalistic governments in the EU.

Drepturi și obligații pentru solicitanții de azil și beneficiarii unei forme de protecție în România

Author(s): Adrian Bulgaru / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 3/2013

Refugees are holders of a fixed number of rights laid down in the Convention of Geneva on the status of refugees, which reflects the protection of human rights. The application of these rights may vary in terms of the refugee’s situation in the territory. An important element for asylum seekers and other migrants is that their rights should be exercised based on equality and freedom, with no discrimination on such grounds as race, colour, gender, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, fortune or any other different status that a person may have. The Romanian legislation, particularly Law No. 122/2006 on asylum in Romania, unambiguously regulates and guarantees the rights of asylum seekers, that is, the rights of those who enjoy one of the acknowledged forms of protection, namely, the status of refugee, the subsidiary protection or the temporary protection.

Remigration of Romanians during the COVID-19 pandemic and the migration prospects for the post-pandemic era

Author(s): Simona Andra Herczeg / Language(s): English Issue: LIX, 2/2020

Romanians have engaged since 2007 on migration trajectories following a very clear road map, as a result of better regulation, networks and also better understanding of the West. In the past years the number of Romanians returning has increased, highlighting a new evolution, i.e the re-evaluation of the opportunities Romania has to offer in terms of profession and social life. In deciding whether returning is the suitable option, migrants take into account a wide range of motives, from personal approaches to professional considerations,from micro-sensitivities to macro-perceptions. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted migrational trends immediately, with measurable short term effects and also estimated long-term effects. Over 1.25 million Romanians, working and living abroad have returned to Romania (since March 2020, according to the Romanian Prime Minister, Ludovic Orban, under the pressure of the unknown in the country where they had migrated). This paper will look into official data regarding the levels of return and also to the aftermath of the return, whether it is a final return to Romania or only a stop in a circular migrational pattern. My research equally focuses on the perception migrants have on their prospective professional opportunities in Romania.

THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

Author(s): Brînduşa-Mihaela Radu,Mariana Bălan,Carmen Uzlau / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2020

The analysis of the problems related to the migration of Romanians presupposes the detailed knowledge of the motivations and characteristics of the migrants, of their circulation, but also of some related data, whose influence on the migration phenomenon can be direct or indirect. Knowing the motivations of Romanians to emigrate, but also the strategies used to leave Romania, can give us an overview of the migration phenomenon, with all the variety it covers. These strategies were adapted according to the period in which they migrated, but also according to the possibilities of each individual. Until 2014, the strategies used were: permanent (stable) migration, circular migration, internal migration, return migration and double migration (remigration). After 2015, a new orientation emerged (multiple migration), determined in particular by the fact that these migrants could not adapt to the places where they resettled. These areas represented either Romania or other places in the countries belonging to the European Union1. The migratory itinerary and social networks argue the existence of the social capital necessary to obtain the migration project. The migration phenomenon can largely be considered positive for the country of origin, but this phenomenon can also have negative consequences: due to the migration of women of childbearing age; due to the fact that migrants are not only those with an average level of education, but also an important part of intellectual capital; due to the accentuation of depopulation in rural Romania (visible consequence of migration), which has intensified especially in the last two decades (Aceleanu, 2011).

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS

Author(s): Brînduşa-Mihaela Radu / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2020

In the coming decades, international migration remains a real process and may vary, taking into account political and economic changes, innovative technological and social changes, growing demographic imbalances, the effects of climate change and globalization trends. In order to increase the positive effects and minimize the negative effects in the field of labor migration, the following aspects can be identified: stimulating return migration and circular labor migration; creating favorable conditions for the business of returned migrants and the development of SMEs in the regions; adapting national educational policies to the needs of the labor market; more active and effective involvement of the diaspora in development policies (Anghelache et al., 2016). Romania has been and is a country of origin or transit in migration flows. Its entry into the group of EU member states coupled with the increase in revenue will certainly lead to a change in this situation. Taking as an example country like Spain or Italy and more recently Poland, Hungary or Slovakia after joining the EU in 2004, Romania will become both a source and destination country so that the number of emigrants will be exceeded by the number of immigrants (United Nations, 2015a). That is why I consider it appropriate to analyze the demographic structure of emigration and immigration of the population.

The new Italian emigration between necessity and choice: “Cordless workers” in Athens

Author(s): Grazia Moffa / Language(s): English Issue: 23/2021

Statistics show that the new Italian emigration presents a plurality of directions: alongside the resumption of flows in the direction of the more traditional destinations, there are now migratory currents in the most diverse directions, including areas that are weak or lagging behind Italy. This novelty opens new interesting questions for the sociology of migration. This contribution highlights the necessity to face the study of “mobility” through interpretative approaches capable of grasping the pluralistic material and immaterial “spaces” designed by the new migratory trajectories. Therefore, we explore the South-South direction, which has remained at the margins of research and debate, trying to add a new piece to the increasingly complex picture of the Italian presence abroad. In the first part of the paper we will focus on some theoretical and demographic aspects considered relevant for the study of the new Italian emigration, with the aim of bringing out the complexity of the phenomenon. In the second part, after a brief methodological note, the results of a qualitative research carried out on the new Italian emigration to Athens will be presented in order to grasp its specific aspects.

Unintended asylum seekers: Bangladeshi probashi from Libya to Italy

Author(s): Nicoletta Del Franco / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

This paper focuses on Bangladeshi migrants, who have recently reached Italy from Libya. It discusses the results of fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2018 with Bangladeshi asylum seekers living in the Parma area who are, or have been, hosted in emergency reception centers called CAS (Centri di Accoglienza Straordinaria). The aim of this paper is to explore the characteristics of this recent migration flow and to examine how migrants navigate the country’s formal reception system, adapting to and at the same time manipulating it. Migrants face a legal and political regime that is quite different from that of the 1990s and early 2000s. In order to secure refugee status, they find themselves caught up in a state-managed, complex reception system. Despite being in a weak and precarious position they move tactically in an unstable and uncertain environment to suit their life objectives.

The impact of the brain drain process on Romania - possible solutions in order to increase resilience

Author(s): George-Cristian GAVRILOAIA / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2020

The paper presents the implications of the brain drain phenomenon in Romania, focusing on possible solutions at European, national and local level. The consequences of the brain drain phenomenon as well as the magnitude of the problem in Romania were analysed based on a quality methodology, namely the secondary analysis of statistical data, all in correlation with other concepts such as trust, vulnerability and resilience. Although there are still no analytical indicators to accurately measure them, the conclusions and recommendations that have been made showed that a bottom-up approach to highlighting the solutions already implemented can be seen as a future model for brain drain analysis.

The Role of Al-Shifa Medical Complex Administration in Evacuation & Sheltering Planning

Author(s): Ahmed H. Al-ramlawi,Mohammed M. El-Mougher,Mohammad R. Al-Agha / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

The study aimed to Highlight the role of Al-Shifa Medical Complex administration in evacuation and Sheltering Planning, due to the suffering of the Gaza Strip from repeated attacks by the Israeli occupation, and the escalation of such attacks over the past ten years. The researcher used the content analysis method and Descriptive approach to try to collect all the appropriate data for this topic. The researcher relied on several tools: observation (field visits), personal interviews with stakeholders, risk analysis of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex. The results showed that Quick response in implementing evacuation mechanisms is a critical element in the success of the plan and saving the lives, and showed that planning for evacuations and sheltering is among the priorities of Al-Shifa Complex Administration and the General Administration of Hospitals and that Al-Shifa Complex Administration had prepared a comprehensive evacuation plan and it is developed annually. However, the study found that no maneuver was conducted that simulate activation of the plan for all the working staff in the complex, due to several reasons, and also showed that risk analysis contributes to enhancing preparedness for crisis and disasters, and improving response level to any risk that may occur in future. The study recommends the necessity of form-ing an internal emergency committee specialized in crisis, disasters, and emer-gency management and activating it permanently to enhance preparedness level, implementing maneuvers that simulate the evacuation, sheltering, and isolation of major hospitals by standard and modern methods, Developing and strengthening of working staff capabilities in emergency and evacuation management.

Damian Cichy, Uchodźcy w Kościele, Wydawnictwo Polihymnia, Lublin 2016, ss. 256.

Author(s): Artur Wysocki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2017

Kentsel Mültecilerin Kente Uyum Süreçlerinde Konuta Erişimleri: Hatay Örneği

Author(s): Zehra Güngördü,Buket Ayşegül Özbakır / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2021

The era we experience includes the processes in which mass migration movements take place for many different reasons and Dynamics. It has been determined in many studies that mass migration has many effects on cities and urban policies. Research on significant dimensions of urban adaptation process is needed together with the mass migration movements that has been experienced in Turkey since 2011. Many studies have determined that this type of a mass migration has many effects on cities and urban policies. However, this study aims to address the housing experiences of urban refugees, which is an important factor in their adaptation to the city through the relationship they establish with the neighborhood and the city. The results of the study proved that the factor of “Access to Housing” is an issue that urban refugees express that they are subject to discrimination and therefore should be developed as an important policy topic in urban adaptation processes. The study benefits from the research Project titled “A New Perspective on Adaptation and Adaptation Processes of Urban Refugees: Social Innovation Experiment for Inclusive City Building”, coded 117K826 and under the TÜBİTAK 1003- Priority Areas R&D Projects Support Program, and the findings were obtained from the project.

Gaziantep ve İzmir’deki Suriyelilerin Yaşadıkları Dışlanma Deneyimleri

Author(s): Sait Vesek / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2021

This research focuses on the lived experience of exclusion in urban areas of Syrians living in Turkey. For this purpose, it was emphasized on what kind of exclusion Syrians face in socioeconomic, spatial and cultural terms. The dynamics of this exclusion and the responses of the participants to exclusion were discussed. The research was carried out with a qualitative method in Gaziantep and Izmir city centres and the descriptive method was used in the analysis of the data. The research is drawn from a fieldwork conducted on 30 semi-depth interviews in Gaziantep and 27 in İzmir. It also makes use of findings gathered from 3 focus group, two in Gaziantep and one in İzmir, carried out during the fieldwork. Based on the research data, it has been determined that Syrians in both Gaziantep and Izmir face exclusion in almost every area of urban life and resort to some methods to minimize this exclusion. In addition to this, another result obtained from the study was that a type of exclusion could be intertwined with others. The research aims to contribute to the debates in the literature, especially in terms of revealing the current obstacles for a viable integration policy.

Göç Yönetiminde Yerelleşmenin İzlerini Aramak: Ankara Mamak Belediyesi Örneği

Author(s): Hacı Çevik / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2021

Migration management points to a multidimensional process that requires the collaboration of different actors. As in different political areas, the transfer of authority and responsibility from the center to the local area also includes different areas of competition in migration management. The cyclical economic and political interests of the central governments directly affect the perspective of the policies to be applied in the management of migration. Sharing powers and responsibilities with local governments, which are an important actor in migration management, has long been discussed in the field of Social Sciences with their different dimensions. The position of local governments in migration management is becoming an increasingly important basis for debate. However, in Turkey, the areas of authority and responsibility of local authorities in migration management are limited. One-dimensional migration policies carried out by the central government, which have increasingly hegemonic inclusivity over public policies, contain various problems. In this type of migration management, the position of local authorities provides an important track to the source of current problems. Municipalities, which are important units of local governments, provide local services to immigrants and refugees through partnerships established with different non-governmental organizations. In this study, the position of local authorities in migration management will be discussed in the example of Mamak Asylum Seeker Consultation and Coordination Center, which has a joint working protocol with Ankara-Mamak Municipality in Turkey, which has become an important migration country.

MIGRANT CRISIS – LEGAL AND ILLEGAL MIGRATION

Author(s): Marjan Marjanović,Milan Milošević / Language(s): English Issue: 30/2020

The main attention of the author is focused on the migrant crisis that escalated in 2015 in the form of a massive influx of refugees and illegal immigrants from Asia, Africa and the Middle East to European Union countries, and Montenegro’s response to that challenge. The issue of migration management on the European continent has also shown significant differences between the member states of the Union, namely those that have shown readiness and openness to accept migrants, and other members that are trying to build a “wall” on their borders. Unlike the mentioned current trends in Europe, Montenegro has taken a responsible approach in dealing with migrant challenges, which requires effective coping with the complex task of maintaining border security, while providing adequate conditions for persons seeking international protection. Starting from that, the paper will, in addition to theoretical and normative examples, list some practical aspects of the considered issues.

Inițiativele de autonomie și dezechilibrele de securitate

Author(s): Manole Anamaria / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1/2018

Recently, Europe was shaken by separatist movements that excessively pledged for extensive autonomy through independence. The historical moments, such as the fall of the Soviet Union and breakup of Yugoslavia led to emerge of several new countries in Eastern Europe. By contrast, borders in Western Europe still have remained steady besides some initiatives. However, states from this area (e.g. Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Italy) have been challenged by a series of independence movements some of which are militant that have varying chances of success.

Modern Migration Crisis in Europe and the Role of Diasporas in Combating the Mutual Hostility between Newcomers and Host Society

Author(s): Emilia Alaverdov / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

Aim. The goal of the paper is to analyse the constantly growing scale of migration and its impact on the European political and social sphere; to show the concern of European politicians and society about the newcomers, which leads to social hostility and unpredictable situations. There is a concern that migrants, being representatives of different cultural environments and religions, will bring social disharmony, raise the crime rate and terrorism in Europe and cause a certain threats to European society. Methods. The basis of the paper are the following research methods – statistical, descriptive and analytical, which represent certain sources: the study courses and books, scientific papers, empirical materials, published on official websites and documents in the field of migration and its policy. Results and conclusion. Modern migration is complicated by the strong emotional reaction and hostile attitude of European society, which has a direct negative impact on the European political situation and society itself. The situation has become even more complex by the fact that the migrants are mostly from Islamic countries with strong religious ideology and cultural roots that create serious obstacles for their integration. Here it is worthy of highlighting the role of Diasporas and their impact on the integrational processes. Cognitive value. It appears that the 21st century has become the era of migration. Thus, the representatives of all social sciences are paying attention to the study of this unusually complex phenomenon. Yet, despite the significant interest of researchers, for politicians, and the civic sector the phenomena of migration still is not studied properly.

Etniczność jako element założeń programowych Zielonych – Zielonej Alternatywy w Austrii

Author(s): Ewa Godlewska / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 04/2020

The Greens -The Green Alternative is a party that until recently was considered marginal. Currently, however, it has become one of the main actors on the political scene in Austria. The aim of the article is to present the group's program assumptions, including aspects such as ethnicity, national minorities, immigration and asylum policy. It is therefore an attempt to introduce less known elements of the program, which, however, have become an integral part of the activities of the Greens in Austria. Thereis a conviction that among the parties present on the Austrian political scene, it is the Greens who are the most sympathetic to national minorities, and advocate a liberal immigration policy. On the basis of the information presented in the article, it will be possible to verify this thesis. The aim of the article is also an attempt to answer the question whether the above slogans contributed to the election successes of the Greens in Austria.One of the methods used in the article was the method of system analysis, which made it possible to study the issues related to national minorities and immigrant communities in Austria within the internal political system. The article also uses a comparative method.