Experiences of Discrimination and Self-reported Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (Special_Issue_1) ◽  
pp. i80-i91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Rapp ◽  
Valentina Cardozo ◽  
Terje Andreas Eikemo ◽  
Theoni Stathopoulou

Abstract Asylum seekers and refugees are confronted with multiple challenges before, during and after their flight from their home countries. The aim of this article is to shed more light on the distinct relationship between experiences of discrimination and self-reported health. On the basis of the REHEAL (Refugee Health) data, we are able to distinguish different reasons of discrimination, such as ethnicity, language or religion, as well as when the discrimination took place, e.g. before or during the flight or within the refugee camps. We are thereby particularly interested in the experience of discrimination in the refugee camps. In a first step, we aim to assess who is more likely to be discriminated against, for example women or members of the ethnic minority within the camps. In the second step, we analyse the relationship between discrimination and self-reported health. Our results reveal that discrimination is an important additional source for reporting poor health. Moreover, we find that women in particular suffer more from discrimination and thus bad health.

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Zeveleva

This article addresses the relationship between the concepts of national identity and biopolitics by examining a border-transit camp for repatriates, refugees, and asylum seekers in Germany. Current studies of detention spaces for migrants have drawn heavily on Agamben's reflection on the “camp” and “homo sacer,” where the camp is analyzed as a space in a permanent state of exception, in which the government exercises sovereign power over the refugee as the ultimate biopolitical subject. But what groups of people can end up at a camp, and does the government treat all groups in the same way? This article examines the German camp for repatriates, refugees, and asylum seekers as a space where the state's borders are demarcated and controlled through practices of bureaucratic and narrative differentiation among various groups of people. The author uses the concept of detention space to draw a theoretical link between national identity and biopolitics, and demonstrates how the sovereign's practices of control and differentiation at the camp construct German national identity through defining “nonmembers” of the state. The study draws on ethnographic fieldwork at the Friedland border transit camp and on a discourse analysis of texts produced at the camp or for the camp.


Author(s):  
Diane Gosden

This paper examines the rise of an asylum seeker and refugee advocacy movement in Australia in recent years. It situates this phenomenon within Alberto Melucci's understanding of social movements as variable and diffuse forms of social action involved in challenging the logic of a system. Following this theoretical framework, it explores the empirical features of this particular collective action, as well as the struggle to redefine the nature of the relationship between citizens of a sovereign state and 'the other' in the personage of asylum seekers and refugees.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Sibusisiwe Bulala Kelly

In early March 2020 the health crisis warnings of corona virus also known as Covid 19 emerged in the European Union (EU). It dominated political dialogues prompting a sense of urgency, fear, and disruption among people. Suddenly there was a halt to the continuous controversial discussions on migration, asylum seekers and refugee challenges across the EU Member States and beyond. The message from the health experts and governments among the EU Member States was clear. Stay home, wash your hands constantly, maintain physical distance, and keep the children away from vulnerable grandparents. However, these seemingly extreme health guidelines engendered great anxiety for the disadvantaged people living in crowded refugee camps across the EU and beyond. It became very clear that the requirement of physical distancing has become a privilege only available for the populations that have the capacity.Research shows that overcrowding and lack of sanitation in refugee camps continue to be problematic across the EU Member States. Somehow, it seemed unfair for the Member States governments to emphasise on the importance of constant wash of hands and social distance among its citizens, whilst ignoring the horrific living conditions of those displaced and stranded in the internal and external borders of the EU. Additionally, there are claims that Covid 19 has not fully manifested in the EU refugee camps, however with lack of information on corona virus testing in the camps it is difficult to legitimately evaluate the situation. This brief assesses the EU Covid 19 response in relation to the area of Asylum. Also serves as a reminder for the EU policy makers not to forget the migration discourse during coronavirus crisis. Particularly, for the asylum seekers and refugees as their presence will continue to impact major dimensions of the EU communities such as political, economy, and social, well beyond Covid 19.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sebastian Paul

In recent years, migration studies focused very much on forced displacement, especially after the influx of migrants to Europe in 2015. Some European countries accept immigrants from non-EU regions. Others blame migrants for taking advantage of Europe’s social systems and follow restrictive policy measures. The EU is as divided as never before in its history, and the process of migration to Europe has become more critical. In this context, the characteristics, fleeing reasons, and refugees’ and asylum seekers’ journeys are relevant. This dissertation looks at these factors in the framework of refugee camps. Even though refugee camps are frequently an essential part of the journey of asylum seekers and refugees on their way to Europe, there is only limited literature in this field. Thus, the research aims to analyze migration and refugee movements as a consequence of the miserable and inhumane conditions in refugee camps and identifies indicators for (mass) migration to Europe. For this purpose, and since everyone speaks about migrants, but not with migrants, I conducted quantitative and qualitative research in 192 fully-structured and 17 semi-structured interviews. The research provides a comprehensive comparison of the living conditions in non-EU and EU refugee camps, analyses their role in the process of migration to Europe, and emphasizes the differences between different camps. Furthermore, the characteristics of asylum seekers and refugees and their motives for coming to Europe were examined. The findings of the study show who these people are and from where they originate. There is evidence for 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. However, there is evidence for the hypothesis that improved living conditions in camps could reduce mass migration movements to Europe. The dissertation enhances the discussion of refugee camps in migration studies, provides new perspectives and insights about the journey of asylum seekers and refugees to Europe, and people’s characteristics leaving their country of origin.


Author(s):  
Long Katy

This chapter examines an important question about the relationship between displacement and migration: how does ‘onward migration’, or ‘onward movement’, fit into existing frameworks for refugee protection? The chapter first explores how approaches to refugees’ onward movement are often heavily politicized: many States tend to view refugee movements as a problem because they threaten to undermine national control of immigration. By contrast, advocates of refugee mobility point to the important role that migration can play in helping refugees to secure effective protection. Next, the chapter considers the rights of asylum seekers and refugees to engage in onward migration as part of a search for effective, durable protection. It also addresses the potential challenges—both legal and political—that may be faced by refugees trying to use migration as a ‘fourth durable solution’. The chapter concludes by suggesting that debates about refugee movement reflect much broader unresolved tensions in a world of unequal bordered States and restricted immigration.


Author(s):  
Nadine El-Enany ◽  
Eiko R. Thielemann

Forced migrations, as well as the related issues of refugees and asylum, profoundly impact the relationship between the countries of origin and the countries of destination. Traditionally, the essential quality of a refugee was seen to be their presence outside of their own country as a result of political persecution. However, the historical evolution of the definition of a refugee has gradually become more restricted and defined. Commentators have challenged the current refugee protection regime along two principal lines. The first is idealist in nature and entails the argument that the refugee definition as contained in the 1951 Refugee Convention is not sufficiently broad and thus fails to protect all those individuals deserving of protection. The second line of argument is a realist one, taking a more pragmatic approach in addressing the insufficiencies of the Convention. Its advocates emphasize the importance of making refugee protection requirements more palatable to states, the actors upon which we rely to provide refugees with protection. With regard to the question of how to design more effective burden-sharing institutions, the literature has traditionally focused on finding ways to equalize refugee responsibilities directly by seeking to equalize the number of asylum seekers and refugees that states have to deal with.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-235
Author(s):  
Sebastian Paul

The article examines the situation of asylum seekers and refugees in Italy and Greece with a particular focus on conditions in refugee camps. Whereas Italy can provide relatively acceptable living conditions in camps but fails to address the issue of homeless migrants in provisional camps, the situation in Greece is devastating. The Mediterranean countries are incapable of improving living conditions for migrants, and reasons for fleeing remain high. This paper compares the situation in both countries, and the findings emphasize the structural differences between Greece and Italy in terms of economy, location, policy imp-lications, and the origin of asylum seekers and refugees.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
GARETH MULVEY

AbstractThe relationship between Holyrood and Westminster is an evolving one where there is some evidence of policy divergence. Underpinning policy approaches are different views of social citizenship, with the Holyrood approach maintaining elements of the post-1945 welfare settlement. The place of refugees and asylum seekers within these differing approaches is currently underexplored. This article looks at the Scottish and UK Governments’ views of social rights and how they apply to asylum seekers and refugees. It suggests that despite refugee ‘policy’ being at least partly reserved, the Scottish Government has been able to take a different approach from that of Westminster, an approach underpinned by these differing welfare outlooks.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 490
Author(s):  
Dilaver Tengilimoğlu ◽  
Aysu Zekioğlu ◽  
Fatih Budak ◽  
Hüseyin Eriş ◽  
Mustafa Younis

Background: Migration is one of the most important social events in human history. In recent years, Turkey hosted a high number of asylum seekers and refugees, primarily because of continuing wars and radical social changes in the Middle East. Methods: Using a random sampling method, Syrian refugees aged 18 and over, who can communicate in Turkish, were reached via personal contact and a total of 714 refugees participated in the study voluntarily. Results: Turkey has mounted with some success and to point out that even though participating refugees in both provinces are young and healthy, almost 50% have bad or worse health status, 61% have chronic diseases, and 55% need regular medication. Participating refugees living in Şanlıurfa stated that ‘Hospitals are very clean and tidy.’ (3.80 ± 0.80). The answers given to the following statements had the highest mean for the participating refugees living in Kilis; ‘Hospitals are clean and tidy.’ (3.22 ± 1.25). Conclusion: Due to financial and human resource deficiencies, there are problems in providing preventive and therapeutic health services, especially to refugees living outside the refugee camps in bad conditions. It is important that refugees are encouraged to apply to family health and community health centers in this context.


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