Refugee identity and integration in Germany during the European “migration crisis”: why local community support matters, and why policy gets it wrong

Although the 2015 “refugee crisis” dominated Europe’s policy-making agenda, little research was actually conducted with refugees. Using focus groups, interviews and photovoice, this study explores the identity and integration processes of 20 refugees, in two German towns, in 2017. While previous scholarship has rightly emphasized the importance of secure legal status for integration, this study highlights the critical role of community support by national citizens in fostering a greater sense of belonging and integration. The study calls into question new integration policies, like Germany’s, which absolve national citizens of any responsibility for integration.