The Integration of Nicaraguan Refugees In Costa Rica : A qualitiative study about the integration of nicaraguan refugees in the province of San José, Costa Rica

This is a thesis conducted in San José, Costa Rica during two months in the spring of 2021. The purpose of this study is to explore what factors are causing migration from Nicaragua to Costa Rica, if the migration has included discrimination in any form and to what extend the staff at the non-governmental organizations Dale una mano a tu hermano (Give your brother a hand), and Ticos y Nicas (costaricans and nicaraguans) somos hermanos (Ticos y Nicas, are brothers) find their vision of integrating Nicaraguan refugees into Costa Rica possible. The data for this project was collected through semi structured interviews with staff members at the non-governmental organizations “Dale una mano a tu hermano”, “Ticos y Nicas somos hermanos” and migrants from Nicaragua. The concepts of The Rational Choice Theory, Lee’s Push and Pull Migration Theory, and Hall’s theory of the “Other” was used as a theoretical framework to the thesis. The conclusion of this study is that migration from one country to another is caused by several factors, that migration can lead to discrimination in any form, and that the mentioned non-governmental organizations still find their work of integrating migrants into Costa Rica hard.