Abstract
More than 100 million people so far migrated due to conflicts, violence, persecution, or human right violations (UNHCR, 2022). The recent wars of Syria and Ukraine strongly increased this number (Näre, 2022; Szytniewski et al., 2018; Ufkes, et al., 2017). Migration has become an important societal problem. Politically, accommodating asylum seekers is currently a controversial issue, especially in the Netherlands. With many asylum accommodations being closed in the past years and the migration numbers increasing, the Netherlands has many problems accommodating asylum seekers. Furthermore, insufficient municipalities voluntarily offer to accommodate asylum seekers as municipalities have concerns regarding neighborhood crime and citizens’ acceptance. Previous research, however, showed no effect of the presence of asylum seekers centres on neighborhood crime (Achbari & Leerkes, 2017). Also, citizens living close to asylum centres generally have a more positive opinion about asylum seekers than citizens living less close to these centres (Postmes et al., 2020; Van der Schelde, 2022). Many factors play a role in the acceptance of centres for asylum seekers. For instance, the media and politicians play a role by suggesting countries are overrun by asylum seekers (Xuereb, 2023). How can the acceptance of asylum seekers centres be increased?
This assignment consists of a literature review and desk search on 1) factors influencing the acceptance of centres for asylum seekers and, relatedly, 2) ways to increase this acceptance. The internship student will start by getting acquainted with the topic. Then, a search string of keywords will be agreed upon for the literature review, after which found literature will be screened on relevance to answer the research questions. Then, an overview will be written regarding the obtained results. The product of this internship will be 1) a state of the art overview of existing research on the literature on factors influencing the acceptance of asylum seekers and (if there is sufficient time) 2) an advise how municipalities can increase acceptance based on both the literature as well as successful examples from practice.
KEYWORDS
Asylum seekers; acceptance; perceptions; attitudes; prejudice; perceived threat; literature review
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ORGANIZATION
The section Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety at the University of Twente has a distinctive and unique profile in the areas of risk perception and risk communication, conflict and crisis management and the antecedents of risky, antisocial and criminal behaviour. It currently includes 16 research staff members and 8 PhD students. We work from both a psychology and an engineering perspective and cooperate with other scientific disciplines, based on the “high tech, human touch” profile of the University of Twente.
AVAILABILITY
This internship is open for 2 students.
INTERESTED?
Please contact the PCRS internship coordinator Miriam Oostinga (m.s.d.oostinga@utwente.nl).
LITERATURE
- Kuppens, T.,Gootjes, F., Boendermaker, M., Gordijn, E. & Postmes, T., (2020). Ongenoegen, migratie, gastvrijheid en maatschappelijke onrust [Discontent, migration, hospitality, and societal unrest] , Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum (WODC) . 147 p. https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/latest-news/news/archief2020/nieuwsberichten/0117-ongenoegen-migratie-gastvrijheid-en-maatschappelijke-onrust-eindrapport.pdf
- Van der Schelde (2022). Draagvlak opvang asielzoekers [Support for accommodating asylum seekers]. Rapport I&O Research. In opdracht van NOS. asiel-nos-september-1.pdf (wpcdnnode.com)