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29 pages, 365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migrant Organisations on the Rise after 2015/2016? Between “Projectitis” and the Formation of New Structures and Types

by Kirsten Hoesch

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040223 - 18 Apr 2024

Viewed by 516

The paper departs from the observation that the role of migrant organisations (MOs) in Germany has changed significantly since the strong influx of refugees in 2015/16. As a result of this specific historical situation, it seems that MOs were able to strengthen their [...] Read more.

The paper departs from the observation that the role of migrant organisations (MOs) in Germany has changed significantly since the strong influx of refugees in 2015/16. As a result of this specific historical situation, it seems that MOs were able to strengthen their position as important civil society and integration policy actors and reduce reservations about them. While there has been growing attention on MOs’ civic and social contributions, both in public and academic debates, this article also highlights the risks of failure and inflated expectations and the often rather fragile structures of MOs. Thus, the article aims to broaden the view on MOs by focusing on aspects which have been neglected in the course of recent public and academic interest and rather optimistic perceptions. The methodological approach is one of “embedded research”: the author has been a senior executive of one of the largest German MOs for six years and, at the same time, a migration researcher for many years. From this special inside/outside view, an ambivalent picture emerges: despite a significantly greater appreciation of the achievements of MOs and much verbal recognition, there is a clear lack of the necessary material/structural support, jeopardising the sustainability and viability of many MOs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

21 pages, 529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stronger Together? Determinants of Cooperation Patterns of Migrant Organizations in Germany

by Nils Friedrichs and Marie Mualem

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040223 - 7 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1202

Abstract

Based on a cross-regional survey of 764 migrant organizations (MOs) in Germany, this study examines the relationship between the content-related orientation (activity areas) of a migrant organization, its human and financial resources, and its cooperation patterns, e.g., the tendency to become a member [...] Read more.

Based on a cross-regional survey of 764 migrant organizations (MOs) in Germany, this study examines the relationship between the content-related orientation (activity areas) of a migrant organization, its human and financial resources, and its cooperation patterns, e.g., the tendency to become a member of umbrella associations and to cooperate with various actors in society. Resources as well as activity areas of an MO have effects on such collaborations, but they differ depending on the cooperation partner. MOs with a focus on social work are more likely to cooperate with public institutions and civil society organizations and have a larger network overall than MOs active in other areas. In addition, human resources are more important for cooperation than funding. While paid employees increase the probability of cooperation with public institutions as well as the membership in an umbrella association, the number of volunteers correlates positively with the tendency to cooperate with other organizations of civil society and religious communities. In particular, a broad base of paid and volunteer staff increases the chances of cooperation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

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19 pages, 312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contested Welfare: Migrant Organizations in Search of Their Role in the German Welfare State

by Eva Günzel, Ariana Kellmer, Ute Klammer and Thorsten Schlee

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(2), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12020090 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1693

Abstract

This article examines the role of migrant organizations (MOs) in the welfare state and reflects on the transformation and negotiation processes in the organization of social protection in a society that is increasingly characterized by various forms of cross-border mobility. The article first [...] Read more.

This article examines the role of migrant organizations (MOs) in the welfare state and reflects on the transformation and negotiation processes in the organization of social protection in a society that is increasingly characterized by various forms of cross-border mobility. The article first describes various transformation trends in German social policy by highlighting the activation policy and marketization of social services. This transformation concerns not only the formal (material) forms of social protection and the relationship between migration and social policy, but also the organization of social protection within the German welfare state. By analysing qualitative interviews with representatives of migrant organizations and welfare associations, we then show which roles are ascribed to MOs by other welfare actors in the context of social protection and how the MOs position themselves. We argue that these role ascriptions are part of a negotiation process that goes along with the transformation of the German welfare state. MOs are increasingly addressed in the context of integration policy, while at the same time they are becoming more professional and are claiming a stronger role in formal security services. The discussion of the changing role of MOs in the future organization of the welfare state also sheds light on the question of the successful adaptation of social services to the needs of migrants in general. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

18 pages, 1104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Acts of Care to Practice-Based Resistance: Refugee-Sector Service Provision and Its Impact(s) on Integration

by Emmaleena Käkelä, Helen Baillot, Leyla Kerlaff and Marcia Vera-Espinoza

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12010039 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3209

Abstract

The UK refugee sector encompasses welfare provision, systems advocacy, capacity development and research. However, to date there has been little attention on refugees’ experiences of the support provided by these services or on the views of the practitioners who deliver them. This paper [...] Read more.

The UK refugee sector encompasses welfare provision, systems advocacy, capacity development and research. However, to date there has been little attention on refugees’ experiences of the support provided by these services or on the views of the practitioners who deliver them. This paper draws from interviews and workshops with thirty refugee beneficiaries of an integration service in Scotland and twenty practitioners to shed light on how refugees and practitioners perceive and provide meaning to the work of the refugee sector. We identify refugee sector organisations as crucial nodes in refugees’ social networks and explore the multiple roles they play in the integration process. Firstly, we confirm that refugee organisations act as connectors, linking refugees with wider networks of support. Secondly, we demonstrate that the work of the refugee sector involves acts of care that are of intrinsic value to refugees, over and above the achievement of tangible integration outcomes. Finally, we demonstrate that this care also involves acts that seek to overcome and subvert statutory system barriers. We propose to understand these acts as forms of “practice-based resistance” necessitated by a hostile policy environment. The findings expand on understandings of the refugee sector, its role in integration and the multi-faceted nature of integration processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

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20 pages, 1728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migrant Organizations and Their Networks in the Co-Production of Social Protection

by Eva Günzel, Matthias Benz and Sören Petermann

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(12), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120585 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1508

Abstract

In contributing to the social protection of migrants, migrant organizations (MOs) have become an important player in the German welfare landscape. Through their activities, they fulfill a set of social functions and integrate into a dense network of various partners characterized by different [...] Read more.

In contributing to the social protection of migrants, migrant organizations (MOs) have become an important player in the German welfare landscape. Through their activities, they fulfill a set of social functions and integrate into a dense network of various partners characterized by different dependencies and forms of cooperation but also potential conflict. Based on the results of a survey conducted in Germany’s Ruhr region between 2021 and 2022, this article examines the organizational characteristics and activities of 15 MOs and analyzes the nature of their networks. Two exemplary qualitative case studies, as well as a quantitative multilevel analysis, were carried out to assess how these organizations and their networks function in their co-production of social protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

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17 pages, 326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migrant Organizations and Social Protection in Germany: The Functions of MOs for Their Target Groups’ Social Protection Practices

by Lisa Bonfert, Eva Günzel and Ariana Kellmer

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(12), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120576 - 8 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1706

Abstract

This article engages with the functions assumed by migrant organizations (MOs) in Germany in the context of the social protection of people with migration biographies. Based on document analyses and qualitative interviews with three groups of actors, we identify four functions through which [...] Read more.

This article engages with the functions assumed by migrant organizations (MOs) in Germany in the context of the social protection of people with migration biographies. Based on document analyses and qualitative interviews with three groups of actors, we identify four functions through which MOs contribute to their target groups’ social protection practices, and show how diverging perceptions toward these functions shape the current role of MOs in a changing welfare system. In addition to providing social services themselves (service function), they mediate with the welfare system (hinging function) and advocate for the interests of people with migration biographies in public and political discourse (advocacy function). Moreover, we demonstrate that these functions are shaped and complemented by a “homemaking” function, a form of informal protection based on mutual support, trust and understanding. In this article, the discussion of the specific ways in which these functions play a role for the social protection of people with migration biographies is based on joint analysis of three data sets. Thus, we juxtapose the viewpoints of MO representatives, their target groups and people associated with welfare state institutions and political administrations. In this way, we show how MOs use these various functions to actively engage with a changing welfare landscape, whereas welfare institutions and political administrations often perceive of the work undertaken by MOs rather as an ‘integration’-oriented prerequisite for their own social service provision. As a result, contrasting and sometimes competing perspectives challenge the role of MOs within the German welfare system, even though these organizations already fulfill key functions for their target groups’ social protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

14 pages, 320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

‘Finding My Own Way’: Mobilization of Cultural Capital through Migrant Organizations in Germany

by Niklas Luft, Paula Wallmeyer, Karolina Barglowski and Lisa Bonfert

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(12), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120573 - 6 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1616

Abstract

Migrant organizations (MOs), as associations that are founded, managed, and led by people with migration biographies, have recently emerged as facilitators of social protection interventions. This article is devoted to this barely debated issue of MOs in the field of social protection, by [...] Read more.

Migrant organizations (MOs), as associations that are founded, managed, and led by people with migration biographies, have recently emerged as facilitators of social protection interventions. This article is devoted to this barely debated issue of MOs in the field of social protection, by emphasizing their role in facilitating the mobilization and access to cultural capital as an important determinant of protection and wellbeing of people with migration biographies. Specifically, we study how MOs promote the formation and mobilization of skills and resources to be used in different fields, in particular in the education and labor markets. We find that MOs facilitate various occasions for their members to generate migration-specific cultural capital, predominantly in the field of education and language skills. MOs also promote the creation and institutionalization of cultural capital on the labor market. In addition, our results show that people with a migration background appreciate their participation in migrants’ organizations, because they allow them to pursue their own projects and find their own way through the different phases of migration and settlement, in often challenging environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

18 pages, 468 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Life Opportunities of Young Refugees: Understanding the Role, Function and Perceptions of Local Stakeholders

by Zeynep Aydar

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(11), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110527 - 17 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1767

Abstract

The focus on the local level in migration research became common when analyzing arrival contexts. Despite the relative autonomy of the local level and its crucial position in the multi-level migration governance, there is limited research on the role, function and perspectives of [...] Read more.

The focus on the local level in migration research became common when analyzing arrival contexts. Despite the relative autonomy of the local level and its crucial position in the multi-level migration governance, there is limited research on the role, function and perspectives of local stakeholders in Germany. This paper investigates the dynamics of local actors and aims at understanding their contribution to the life opportunities of young refugees. A post-industrial city, namely Dortmund, has been used as a case study for this explorative task. Building on 20 expert interviews conducted between November 2020 and September 2021, the results show that while the migration history of the city has positive influence on stakeholder perspectives, there are concrete horizontal discrepancies between governmental and non-governmental actors. Albeit being engaged with inclusive migration measures for decades, the governmental actors are found to be limiting youth’s chances, as they are bound to the legal framework of the national and federal levels. Contrarily, the non-governmental actors are of great importance as they challenge the system of burdens and actively create further possibilities for these youths. However, the article found that it is beyond the power of non-governmental actors to eliminate structural and legal barriers. The vertical and horizontal conflicts in multi-governance system are the major barriers for this. Nonetheless, local level actors appear critical in creating further opportunities and advocating for youth; therefore, their potential operational strength should not be undervalued. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

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17 pages, 811 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Affective Dimension of Social Protection: A Case Study of Migrant-Led Organizations and Associations in Germany

by Karolina Barglowski and Lisa Bonfert

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(11), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110505 - 3 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1781

Abstract

This article follows the recent ‘affective turn’ in social sciences and migration scholarship by analyzing the role of emotions in the handling of social risks by people with different migration biographies. The study is based on large-scale research with migrant organizations in Germany, [...] Read more.

This article follows the recent ‘affective turn’ in social sciences and migration scholarship by analyzing the role of emotions in the handling of social risks by people with different migration biographies. The study is based on large-scale research with migrant organizations in Germany, which are important, though often neglected, sources of social protection, identity development, and community building. Interviews and egocentric network diagrams with people using services in various organizations demonstrate the impact of emotions on social protection practices. Contrasting these practices among adult movers, the German-born, and the 1.5 generation with different migration biographies, we shed light on the processual, material, and relational nature and the emotional dimensions of dealing with social risks. In doing so, this work aims to engage in discussions on emotions in migration and settlement processes and to increase the understanding of their impact on social protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)

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