(Im)mobility Aspirations of Refugees: Experimental Insights into Host Country Conditions
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Presented by: Sedef Turper Alışık
The countries that have recently experienced large refugee intake are currently confronted with the challenge of offering durable solutions for forcibly displaced individuals. These solutions encompass not only local integration but also voluntary repatriation and third-country resettlement. Even though implementing policies that would facilitate durable solutions requires a comprehensive understanding of the mobility aspirations of refugees, little is known about the drivers of those aspirations. While prior research has highlighted the role of economic conditions, educational opportunities, and cultural affinity with the host society as key factors shaping refugees’ (im)mobility aspirations, existing studies fall short of disentangling the independent and conjoint effects of multiple considerations that affect migration aspirations. Addressing this gap, the current study investigates the extent to which considerations related to conditions in the host country impact refugees’ aspirations to migrate by utilizing survey experiments conducted between March and April 2022 with the participation of 1600 Syrian refugees in Turkey. By capitalizing on vignette experiments, we investigate the extent to which lack of access to decent housing and employment opportunities as well as the unavailability of educational prospects for children affect refugees’ aspirations to migrate. Our findings reveal that refugees’ aspirations to migrate are overwhelmingly shaped by the availability of employment and educational opportunities in the host country. Furthermore, our research underscores that the impact of host country conditions is not uniform across all refugees; rather, it varies based on factors such as marital status, educational background, and legal status. The current study provides valuable insights that can inform targeted policies for promoting durable solutions for refugees.