Transformations in Voluntary Engagement for Refugees

The project examined how engagement for refugees in Germany had developed in recent years, particularly since the Russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine. The focus was on the quantitative analysis of individual patterns of voluntary engagement. The goal was to systematically capture changes over time, identify differences between population groups, and reveal trends in volunteer participation.
Using extensive survey data, both the frequency and types of engagement as well as participants’ motivations were analyzed. This allowed for conclusions about how current patterns of engagement differed from earlier periods, such as the “long summer of migration” in 2015.

The project examined the development of voluntary engagement for refugees in Germany, particularly since the Russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine, focusing on the quantitative analysis of individual participation patterns, changes over time and  differences between groups.

• Systematic recording and analysis of individual participation patterns in voluntary engagement for refugees.
• Examination of temporal changes and trends in engagement, particularly since the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
• Comparison of engagement patterns across population groups and with earlier periods, such as the “long summer of migration” in 2015.

The results show a strong reactivation of engagement for refugees in Germany in 2022, similar to the mobilization observed during the “long summer of migration” in 2015. Unlike in 2015, however, a reactivation of mobilization against refugees largely did not occur. Selective patterns of willingness to receive refugees persist in the general population, with a preference for Ukrainian refugees. Among active volunteers, these differences do not appear. Additionally, the findings indicate an increasing politicization of engagement for refugees.