Historical and Contemporary Challenges to Host-Refugee Integration

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

The papers in this panel center around the dynamics involving refugees, whether it be anti-refugee violence or attitudes toward refugees. They combine observational data collected in Europe and the Middle East with statistical methods in order to make causal claims about the determinants of refugee integration.

All four papers aim to produce theoretical insights with policy implications. Whether it is understanding the role of intergroup contact in correcting misinformation, the impact of violence on anti-refugee attitudes, or the role of state reaction after anti-refugee riots, these papers can offer valuable information for policymakers and scholars towards addressing refugee-related challenges more effectively.

Marcolongi et al investigate the timing of anti-refugee violence and its consequences on refugee integration. They employ new fine-grained data and difference-in-difference methodology to answer key questions including the role of the state in mitigating the impact of violence.

Papers by Hickey and Lawall et al study how a host society’s attitudes toward refugees are shaped by violence committed by third actors. Both papers explore this question in the context of current conflicts but approach it from two different directions. Hickey studies Lebanese citizens’ attitudes toward Syrian refugees and, in particular, differences among places in Lebanon that suffered more or less violence by the Syrian army during the Lebanese Civil War. She finds that past violence by the Syrian army is associated with heightened anti-refugee attitudes today.

In contrast, Lawall et al survey European attitudes toward Ukrainian refugees and look at the effects of Russian missile attacks in Ukraine. They find that Russian attacks strengthen pro-refugee views among Europeans and that a primary channel for this effect is heightened anger.

Finally, Akbiyik discusses the role of misinformation as an obstacle to refugee integration and possible countermeasures. He challenges traditional approaches for correcting misinformation and promotes daily interactions as a more effective channel.

Sub Unit

• Division 11: Comparative Politics

Individual Presentations

• Anti-refugee Violence and Intercommunal Integration: The Role of State Response - Kerim Can Kavakli, Bocconi University; Tugba Bozcaga, King's College London; Giovanna Marcolongo, Bocconi University

• Past Violence and Refugee Reception: The Case of Syrians in Lebanon - Molly Hickey, Harvard University

• Outbursts of Solidarity: External Events, Emotions and Support for Refugees - Katharina Lawall, Centre for the Politics of Feelings, University of London

• Debunking Misinformation to Foster Refugee Inclusion - Ahmet Akbiyik, Harvard University

Chair

• Guy Grossman University of Pennsylvania

Discussants

• Ala Alrababah Bocconi University

• Yang-Yang Zhou Dartmouth College