Cuneyt Gurer 1 *
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 3, Issue 2, pp. 52-70
https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/6433
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This study will examine the integration process from the perspectives of refugees by focusing on individual and social level experiences. Data for this study comes from individual-level semi-structured and focus group discussions collected over a period of seven months in Germany and covers refugees who applied for asylum after 2015. Keeping in mind the fact that the meaning of integration differs for different audiences, this study identifies five distinct phases of refugee integration in Germany. In each phase, refugees face certain challenges that hinder their integration into local communities. These phases, with some minor differences, may also be applicable to other countries, and therefore this study offers a general framework to analyze the integration process from refugee perspectives. Individual and social dimensions of integration analyzed and individual adjustment and coping mechanisms demonstrated throughout the study. This study suggests that refugees should be more involved in the definition of integration and more importantly, social and professional interaction through “entry points” should be encouraged for successful integration of refugees.
Keywords: Refugees, Integration, Adaptation, Integration Policies.