Perception of home among refugees and integration process

In the past few years, European nations have received an increasing numbers of refugees and have faced challenges in integrating them successfully into society. Due to these challenges, refugees are often resettled multiple times. This research aimed to gain understanding on how this affects refugee integration, focusing specifically on housing and refugees’ personal perceptions on the concept of ‘home’. The research found that due to refugees painful experiences, refugees responded to resettlement in diverse ways: most relatively satisfied with their housing while still referring to their past homes with a ‘then and now’ dichotomy and a longing for family and former neighbours. Safety and security were recurring themes, especially for families, but other important issues in order to feel at home and gain a feeling of belonging were social inclusion, acceptance and understanding of local regulations.submittedVersionM-D