Refugees, not economic migrants:Why do asylum seekers register in Hungary?

The article analyses why asylum‐seekers choose Hungary as an entry point to the European Union. Among the Central and Eastern European countries Hungary has been by far the most popular choice for asylum‐seekers between 2002 and 2016, yet surprisingly, it has been neglected by the literature. Using a panel dataset and fixed effects regressions, the article finds that beyond being ‘conveniently’ located on the Balkans migration route, variables related to Hungary's immigration policy are the most significant determinants of asylum‐seeker choices. The article finds no evidence to support recent claims by the Hungarian government that arrivals to the country are actually economic migrants and not asylum‐seekers; quite the contrary, the results indicate that on average asylum‐seekers entering Hungary are fleeing violent conflict in their countries of origin

Governance, forced migration and welfare

This paper explores the welfare of forced migrants (i.e. refugees, asylum-seekers, those with humanitarian leave to remain, and “failed asylum-seekers/overstayers”) at three linked levels. First, it considers the governance of forced migrants at a supranational (in this case European Union) level. Second, particularly, but not exclusively in the context of the UK, it considers the extent to which the welfare rights of forced migrants in EU member states have been subject to a process of “hollowing out” or “dispersal”. Third, utilizing data from a recently completed qualitative research project, the paper outlines the complex local systems of governance that exist in relation to the housing and social security rights of forced migrants in the UK. The consequences of these networks are highlighted

Mental health of returnees: refugees in Germany prior to their state-sponsored repatriation

von Lersner U, Wiens U, Elbert T, Neuner F. Mental health of returnees: refugees in Germany prior to their state-sponsored repatriation. BMC International Health and Human Rights. 2008;8(1): 8

Getting There? The Effects of Functional Factors, Time and Place on the Social Integration of Migrants

A survey of 1,400 migrants, including many asylum seekers and refugees, living in deprived areas in Glasgow UK is used to test hypotheses in the literature about the effects of functional factors (educational qualifications, ability to speak English, employment), time and place upon the social integration of migrants. Three aspects are considered: trust, reliance and safety; social relations; sense of community. Overall, social integration indicators were worse for migrants than for British citizens living in the same places. Functional factors were positively associated with different aspects of social integration: higher education with more neighbourly behaviours; employment with better social relations and belonging; and English language with greater reliance on others and available social support. Time was positively associated with most social integration indicators; time in the local area more so than time in the UK. Living in a regeneration area was negatively associated with many aspects of social integration. The findings raise questions about the doubly negative effects of the use of dispersal policy for asylum seekers to regeneration areas, necessitating secondary relocation of migrants through further, forced onward migration

"Responding to the Asylum and Access Challenge: An Agenda for Comprehensive Engagement in Protracted Refugee Situations"

This trans-atlantic project was generously funded by the German Marshall Fund

Asylum recognition rates in Western Europe : their determinants, variation, and lack of convergence

Substantial variation in recognition rates for asylum claims from the same countries of origin and therefore prima facie equal merit subjects refugees to unfair and discriminatory treatment. This article demonstrates the extent of variation and lack of convergence over the period 1980 to 1999 across Western European destination countries. Refugee interest groups also suspect that political and economic conditions in destination countries as well as the number of past asylum claims unduly impact upon recognition rates. This article estimates the determinants of asylum recognition rates. Origin-specific recognition rates vary, as they should, with the extent of political oppression, human rights violations, inter-state armed conflict and events of genocide and politicide in countries of origin. Recognition rates for the full protection status only are lower in times of high unemployment in destination countries. Such rates are also lower if many asylum seekers from a country of origin have already applied for asylum in the past