The research comprises 30 life history interviews with refugees who had arrived in the UK between 1956 and 2006. It explores refugees’ understanding of ‘Britishness’ and belonging in order to inform policy debates about refugee integration and citizenship. The research found that refugees experienced a ‘discongruity of belonging’; Britishness, while fostered at a national level through appreciation of freedom and peace, was not felt at a local level due to a lack of integration in the workplace and neighbourhood. It found that rapid determination of asylum applications promotes early integration while, conversely, the time-limited settlement granted since 2005 acted as a barrier to integration. Although responsibility for social integration is placed on refugees, the research found that the majority community were unfriendly and did not integrate. It showed high levels of volunteering among refugees, which proved to be a tool for integration as it helped develop language skills, as well as knowledge of UK society. Refugee children achieved much less educational success than adult arrivals due to poor English language, interrupted prior education, residential mobility and delays in accessing school places. Secure immigration status, tolerance, stable housing, English language fluency, and social networks were all found to contribute to integration.
Published October 2007
Authors: Jill Rutter, Laurence Cooley, Sile Reynolds and Ruth Sheldon
Conducted by ippr on behalf of Refugee Support, part of the Metropolitan Support Trust.
Download the document from the Refugee Support website
