Inclusion and acceptance through the empirical findings of the research “Social protection responses to forced displacement”

The research project Social Protection Responses for Displaced Populations primarily aimed to decode and investigate the convergence or divergence of assistance systems for asylum seekers and displaced populations in search of a safe haven. Greece has become a testing ground for humanitarian crisis policies, following its prolonged economic crisis.

In this presentation, we aim to highlight the factors, as well as the limits, opportunities, and uncertainties of the processes of integration and acceptance of recently displaced populations in the country, based on the main sources of our empirical material. These include, on the one hand, the experiences and testimonies of key informants actively involved in managing refugee arrivals, and on the other, the findings of quantitative research conducted with migrants, refugees, and locals. The latter offers insights into their experiences with the social protection system and their prospects for staying and integrating into Greek society.