Previous findings in German-speaking research on refugees and camps point to numerous situations of insecurity for refugees in collective centres: The living situations of the residents are precarious. It can be assumed that in addition to criminal offences, social and individual (in)security and uncertainty also contribute to the feeling of safety. However, there is a gap in the research when it comes to the investigation of aspects that contribute or are even elementary to a sense of security and safety among refugees in collective accommodation. Part of my dissertation project follows on from this:
What meanings of security can be reconstructed from the statements and practices of refugees in the context of life in such accommodations? Which social situations (also outside the facilities) evoke a sense of security among them? What role does the police play?
The research is qualitative-interpretative with an ethnographic orientation. The aim is to work out a subject-oriented sense of security that manifests itself in socially contextualised situations. It is important to find out where and through what refugees feel safe. In addition, refugees' practices and (implicit) (agency) knowledge of finding safety are also of interest.
Finally, the aim is to include the perspectives of refugees, which are underrepresented in the security discourse on refugee migration, to relate them to police perceptions and to critically question the prevailing construction of migrants and refugees as a danger (Balibar 1992: 28ff.; Basu 2016: 98; Kretschmann 2017).