Integration Dynamics: The Case of Iraqi Refugees in Syria.

• Author: Aksoy, Ersin

Introduction

The concepts of integration have various definitions in the academic and political arenas based on the socio-political structures and development levels of target countries. When tension and potential conflict between refugees (1) and host community members are prevalent, integration becomes a critical topic for international organizations and governmental institutions. These actors, among many others, are in search of comprehensive methods to understand problems and handle challenges between different communities. Integration-related problems are frequently analyzed and explained with reference to the ethnic, linguistic, and religious dynamics of diverse communities. Such socio-cultural dynamics, together with economic factors, are considered key factors of integration. (2) Nationalist sentiments, language barriers, and intolerance of other beliefs have a great negative influence on the level of integration between refugees and host communities. However, this study aims to emphasize other dynamics that have been case-specific, with a special focus on the historical background of the refugee movement from Iraq to Syria. (3)

In the social sciences, specifically within the disciplines of sociology, history, and politics, experimentation is not possible. To overcome this problem, diverse case studies and comparisons are used to analyze the effects of different conditions. To study integration with specific attention to case-specific factors, this article elaborates on Iraqi refugees in Syria, who share the same language, religious, and ethnic identities with the host community in Syria. However, these common key factors are not sufficient to assure integration. Therefore, this case allows for analyzing factors other than language, religion, and ethnic differences. This article aims to provide a comprehensive description of the concept of integration as well as the prominent barriers to integration.

The article proceeds as follows: The first section discusses the concepts of integration dynamics through the terms integration, inclusion, and social cohesion. This section suggests a twofold analysis for understanding the barriers to integration: key factors and case-specific factors. The second section describes the historical background of the refugee flow from Iraq to Syria. The third section discusses which factors affected the Iraqi refugees' decision to move to Syria. All in all, the following sections analyze the social cohesion, integration, and inclusion of Iraqi refugees in Syrian society. The article also assesses the current conditions of Iraqi refugees after the beginning of the Syrian civil war. It concludes that the Syrian government intended to seek temporary solutions to meet the major requirements of Iraqi refugees, which constituted barriers to social cohesion, inclusion, and integration of refugees.

Concepts of Integration Dynamics

Integration, Inclusion, and Social Cohesion

The terms integration, inclusion, and social cohesion are critical to the adaptation of refugees in host countries. Integration refers to the mutual adaptation process among refugees and local communities on the individual and group levels with social, political, and economic dimensions. It includes multiple responsibilities and rights for both communities, including but not limited to education, health, and the labor market. (4)

Some international organizations use the term social cohesion instead of integration. There is no common definition of the concept of social cohesion in the literature. According to the UNDP, there are two different dimensions of social cohesion: inequality and social exclusion. Social cohesion involves tolerance and respect for diversity (political preferences, age, religion, economic status, gender, etc.) both individually and institutionally. In societies where harmony cannot be achieved, several issues are observed, including violent crimes, violent conflicts, targeting minorities, and other human rights violations. (5)

The Directorate-General for Social Cohesion of the Council of Europe defines social cohesion as one of the fundamental principles that ensure everyone has fundamental rights under equal conditions. According to the Council, social cohesion is the best concept to reject all forms of exclusion and increase social awareness on this issue. This definition is similar to the UNDP's definition of social cohesion, which considers economic integration to be part of social cohesion. (6) Furthermore, a striking recognition of social cohesion, which differs slightly from the rest, is made by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The IOM defines integration by combining 'inclusion and 'social cohesion under a larger umbrella. Briefly, it accepts that both inclusion and social cohesion are integral but distinct parts of integration. The distinction between these two concepts gives us a clear lens to distinguish between economic integration and political participation (termed 'inclusion') and socio-relational aspects of integration on the level of acceptance and belonging (termed 'social cohesion). In this way, the IOM's definition of the term social cohesion distinguishes it from previous definitions of social cohesion. According to the IOM, while integration is a multifaceted concept that addresses the social, cultural, civic, economic, and legal spheres that affect the lives of migrants, social cohesion forms only a smaller part of it by focusing on social perceptions. Therefore, social cohesion refers to the prevention of discrimination and xenophobia and the spread of a culture of tolerance. (7)

The first pillar of integration is inclusion, as shown in Table 1, which has social, economic, civic, and political aspects. Accordingly, the first stage of inclusion is related to access to fundamental and basic services. This is a sine qua non for inclusion in the access of refugees to basic rights such as health, education, and the freedom to use their basic human rights. Identifying the obstacles to accessing basic services and developing solution proposals by governmental or civil society actors are evaluated under this concept. The concept of inclusion also refers to inclusion in economic life, meeting the needs of food and shelter, livelihood, using professional capacity and savings, and creating appropriate job opportunities with equal pay policies. In addition, instead of the periodic financial support provided by states and non-governmental organizations for refugees, economic inclusion suggests sustainable solutions for refugees by both supporting the economic development of the host country and providing their own livelihoods.

Civic and political inclusions are additional aspects of inclusion. These aspects refer to the rights of refugees to freely participate in social and political formations such as institutions, organizations, and political parties, to express their own problems and suggestions. Today, while exclusionary and discriminatory policies and discourses against refugees increase in social media and the political arena in many countries, the representation of refugees in the political arena is limited.

The second pillar of integration is social cohesion. Social cohesion is a process (9) that has three dimensions: The first dimension of social cohesion is anti-discrimination, which refers to the elimination of attitudes and expressions of discrimination in society and the adaptation of a multiculturalist approach. (10) Anti-discrimination is important because discrimination may affect the well-being of refugee community members negatively, which may reduce motivation and energy in the process of adapting to the host community. The second dimension of social cohesion is countering xenophobia. This dimension addresses the need for eliminating xenophobia and enhancing respect for different identities and ideas, as well as creating a sense of belonging that makes refugees feel comfortable in the host country. Acceptance and belonging are reciprocal phenomena that complement each other for a successful process of social cohesion. The third dimension is promoting mutual understanding. International actors suggest a community-based approach that enables the understanding of the concerns and prejudices of both communities, which is crucial to ensuring social cohesion. (11)

Integration is possible by including these two elements: inclusion and social cohesion. It is important that policymakers consider both refugees and citizens as active and productive participants in the social cohesion process and integrate this theoretical approach into the law-making process to touch upon the daily practices of both communities. This approach is adapted by intergovernmental and civil organizations. This article elaborates on the factors of integration for Iraqi refugees in Syria with regard to inclusion and social cohesion.

Barriers to Integration

Integration is a comprehensive process that can be achieved through several components. While these components have been discussed above, it is critical to be aware of some factors that prevent this process. This article has adapted a method that determines further dynamics as well as key factors and understands the relationships among the dynamics so that the social reality of integration can be understood better. (12) As suggested by Dimitrov and Angelov, the main factors of integration mentioned would be insufficient to explain the social reality of specific cases. Therefore, the authors would need to identify case-specific dynamics in addition to key factors:

All these measures and tools are considered key factors for successful refugee integration. However, the measures depend on the specific country, as the socioeconomic, cultural, and political characteristics in the receiving countries are not similar and the newcomers in every single state differ in many aspects such as religion...