Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts
Migrant integration remains a continuous challenge in many EU countries, as shown by the retreat from multiculturalism and the concerns regarding Muslim migrants. In recent years, the increase in asylum-seekers has added further complexities to the issue. Meanwhile, volunteering is considered to be...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw, and Polish Academy of Sciences
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Central and Eastern European Migration Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ceemr.uw.edu.pl/vol-12-no-1-2023/special-section/volunteering-means-fostering-integration-and-intercultural |
| _version_ | 1797752545801666560 |
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| author | Andrea Carlà Heidi Flarer Marie Lehner Astrid Mattes Ursula Reeger |
| author_facet | Andrea Carlà Heidi Flarer Marie Lehner Astrid Mattes Ursula Reeger |
| author_sort | Andrea Carlà |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Migrant integration remains a continuous challenge in many EU countries, as shown by the retreat from multiculturalism and the concerns regarding Muslim migrants. In recent years, the increase in asylum-seekers has added further complexities to the issue. Meanwhile, volunteering is considered to be an important aspect of today’s society and a thermometer of civic well-being. Bringing together the field of migration studies and research on volunteering, we investigate whether volunteering would foster processes of integration and intercultural relations. We do so by presenting an innovative empirical study based on interviews and self-administered questionnaires conducted at two points in time over a period of about a year in a specific setting that brought together EU and third-country nationals in volunteering activities in six European contexts. Thus, we are able to provide an in-depth account of volunteering experiences and their effects on intercultural relations and processes of integration. The research highlights how volunteering fosters social interactions, intersecting with dynamics of inclusion. It is a valuable tool that strengthens the community as well as the process of social integration, helping to overcome the tensions and conflicts that persist in European societies. At the same time, we argue that volunteering cannot make up for all integration challenges since the process of societal integration requires a more comprehensive approach which includes tackling discrimination in structural integration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:05:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-535c3b1d5e9842e6beccd86facf64507 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2300-1682 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:05:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw, and Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Central and Eastern European Migration Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-535c3b1d5e9842e6beccd86facf645072023-08-06T16:52:31ZengCentre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw, and Polish Academy of SciencesCentral and Eastern European Migration Review2300-16822023-06-01121496310.54667/ceemr.2023.07Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts Andrea Carlà 0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1329-4226Heidi Flarer1Marie Lehner2https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6592-0893Astrid Mattes 3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6912-7187Ursula Reeger4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6057-6234Eurac Research, ItalyEurac Research, ItalyIndependent researcher, AustriaUniversity of Vienna, Austria Austrian Academy of Sciences, AustriaMigrant integration remains a continuous challenge in many EU countries, as shown by the retreat from multiculturalism and the concerns regarding Muslim migrants. In recent years, the increase in asylum-seekers has added further complexities to the issue. Meanwhile, volunteering is considered to be an important aspect of today’s society and a thermometer of civic well-being. Bringing together the field of migration studies and research on volunteering, we investigate whether volunteering would foster processes of integration and intercultural relations. We do so by presenting an innovative empirical study based on interviews and self-administered questionnaires conducted at two points in time over a period of about a year in a specific setting that brought together EU and third-country nationals in volunteering activities in six European contexts. Thus, we are able to provide an in-depth account of volunteering experiences and their effects on intercultural relations and processes of integration. The research highlights how volunteering fosters social interactions, intersecting with dynamics of inclusion. It is a valuable tool that strengthens the community as well as the process of social integration, helping to overcome the tensions and conflicts that persist in European societies. At the same time, we argue that volunteering cannot make up for all integration challenges since the process of societal integration requires a more comprehensive approach which includes tackling discrimination in structural integration.http://www.ceemr.uw.edu.pl/vol-12-no-1-2023/special-section/volunteering-means-fostering-integration-and-interculturalmigrantsvolunteeringyouthintegrationintercultural understandingbelonging |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Carlà Heidi Flarer Marie Lehner Astrid Mattes Ursula Reeger Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts Central and Eastern European Migration Review migrants volunteering youth integration intercultural understanding belonging |
| title | Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts |
| title_full | Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts |
| title_fullStr | Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts |
| title_short | Volunteering as a Means of Fostering Integration and Intercultural Relations. Evidence from Six European Contexts |
| title_sort | volunteering as a means of fostering integration and intercultural relations evidence from six european contexts |
| topic | migrants volunteering youth integration intercultural understanding belonging |
| url | http://www.ceemr.uw.edu.pl/vol-12-no-1-2023/special-section/volunteering-means-fostering-integration-and-intercultural |
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