Mobility + Informality
Syrian refugees in the UK have differing experiences of the Syrian Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme (SVPRS), depending on the locality of placement. As one participant to research on community integration put it, ‘Other Syrian people feel more comfortable, more confident, they’re living a different life.’ Contrasting his experience with that
...
During the Syrian conflict that sparked after the insurgency in 2011, 5,6 million Syrians sought refuge in other countries. During their life-changing journeys, in order to achieve mobility, Syrians have had to seek illegal services of some intermediaries. These professionals, whom Syrians call “simsar,” are brokers of mobility, across borders
...
Homeless refugees in Berlin face systemic inequalities. Their support network, which consists of German citizens and other refugees, tries to challenge these conditions by assisting the homeless in accessing private and public shelters informally. It seems relevant, therefore, to look at how informal systems can help undo some of the
...
Refugees are vilified for using illegal practices. But illegality is deeply embedded in Europe’s asylum system: hotspots formalize smuggling routes as a precondition for asylum; illegal ‘push-backs’ push migrants to destroy papers; and overburdened states pressure refugees to move to more prosperous ones, illegally. There is a clear shift in
...
Family responsibilities do not disappear with geographical distance. The possibility to provide care across national borders may therefore affect people’s decisions to move. However, the social policies framing care are still predominantly national. How are the everyday care practices from the point of view of Estonian families, whose members live
...
