Trajectories of reintegration: The impacts of displacement and return on social change
- Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies
- Dr. Zeynep Şahin-Mencütek leader, BICC
- Dr. Katja Mielke editor, BICC
- Dr. Elke Grawert editor, BICC
- Clara Schmitz-Pranghe editor, BICC
- Ruth Vollmer editor, BICC
- Dr. Markus Rudolf editor, BICC
- Dr. Ester Serrat Mingot editor, BICC
- Prof. Dr. Conrad Schetter editor, BICC
- Albanien
- Bosnien und Herzegowina
- Ghana
- Irak
- Kosovo
- Senegal
- Serbien
- Gambia
- Syrien
- Türkei
Short description
The qualitative research project "Reintegration of Refugees: On the Influence of Flight, Migration and Return on Social Change" examines the living conditions of returnees in a long-term perspective and taking into account the socio-political context in countries of origin, transit and host countries, demographic characteristics (including level of education, socio-cultural background, social class, age and gender, resources, networks of the refugees, length of stay in the host country) as well as different framework conditions in the reintegration context (including stage of conflict, reconstruction, perspectives). For this purpose, we compare a) returnees supported within the framework of reintegration programmes and b) refugees and migrants who organised their return themselves. The analysis is based on our own primary data collected during repeated field research visits of several months in the following three regions of the global South: 1. Western Balkans, 2. West Africa, and 3. Middle East. The overall objective of the qualitative comparative analysis of long-term reintegration in different contexts is to generate empirical knowledge about reintegration processes and to provide a fact-based foundation for the development of guidelines for relevant development cooperation initiatives.
In the spirit of a transdisciplinary approach, the research approach and results are continuously discussed and further developed within the framework of regular consultations and networking workshops in Germany as well as workshops in the study regions with representatives from academia, politics and practice. The dissemination of research results is ensured through publications and events as well as at workshops, conferences and meetings in Germany, at EU level and locally. In addition, there is close cooperation with scientific and humanitarian, as well as development policy, organisations. Furthermore, in order to develop local capacities, researchers in the respective study regions will be involved in the research process.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as part of the special initiative "Fighting the Causes of Flight - Reintegrating Refugees".
Publications
Mielke, K. (2022). Finding one’s place in chaos: Returnees’ reintegration experiences in northern Iraq. Working Paper Series No. 2/2023. BICC: Bonn.
Rudolf, M. (2022). Talking at Cross-Purposes? On Ambigous Relationships between International Policies on Return and Reintegration and their local Conceptualisations in Ghana, the Gambia and Senegal. Working Paper Series No. 1/2022. BICC: Bonn.
Schmitz-Pranghe, C. (2022). The Role of Mobility, Networks and Assistance after return. Insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Working Paper Series No. 1/2023. BICC: Bonn.
Vollmer, R. (2022). Reintegration in Contexts of High Mobility. Insights from Albania and Kosovo. Working Paper Series No. 3/2023. BICC: Bonn.
Şahin-Mencütek, Z. (2023). The Role of Return Preparedness, Assistance and Networks in Returnees’ Reintegration in Origin Countries (Synthesis Report) Bonn: BICC.
Schmitz-Pranghe, C., Oruč, N., Mielke, K., & Ibričević, A. (2020). Making sure that the emigration of health-care personnel from Albania and BiH works for all: What Germany can do. Policy Brief Series No. 8/2020. Bonn: BICC.
Grawert, E., Mielke, K., Pleisnitzer, S., Markiewicz, S., Rifat, A., & Abdou, A. M. (2020). Reintegration in northern Iraq: The time is now for Europe to act. Policy Brief Series No. 7/2020. Bonn: BICC.
Rudolf, M., & Serra Mingot, E. (2020). Making it work. AVRR programmes and Ghanaian returnees. Policy Brief Series No. 5/2020. Bonn: BICC.
Rudolf, M. (2023). Ostafrika - Migration und Flucht. in: “Flucht- und Flüchtlingsforschung - Handbuch für Wissenschaft und Studium”, Hrsg. T. Scharrer, B. Glorias, J. O. Kleist, M. Berlinghoff, Nomos, Baden-Baden. ISBN 978-3-8487-7785-3.
Şahin-Mencütek, Z. et al. (2023). Syrian Refugees in Turkey: Between Reception and Integration. IMISCOE Research Series, Springer, Cham, Bonn, Istanbul. ISBN 978-3-031-27366-7.
Şahin-Mencütek, Zeynep and Tamirace Fakhoury (2023). The Geopolitics of Return Migration in the International System. Special Issue of Geopolitics. Taylor and Francis, Philadelphia. DOI: 10.1080/14650045.2023.2187981.
Vollmer, Ruth (2023). ‘For a Better Life’? The Role of Networks in Social (Im)Mobility after Return to Albania. Central and Eastern European Migration Review. Warsaw. DOI: 10.54667/ceemr.2023.06.