Asylum in Germany during the new exodus - a secondary analysis on official reports

• Author: Codrina Csesznek
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 141-150

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 10 (59) No. 2 - 2017

ASYLUM IN GERMANY DURING THE NEW

EXODUS - A SECONDARY ANALYSIS ON

OFFICIAL REPORTS

Codrina CSESZNEK1

Abstract: This article contains a synthesis of quantitative data relevant to

the "European refugee crisis" which started in 2015, when a large number of

people migrated from West Asia, South Asia and Africa to Europe, especially

to Germany. I call this phenomenon "new exodus." Through secondary

analysis of recent European and German official reports on migration I tried

to provide a clear image capable of offering us the understanding of the

social dimension of this phenomenon. I have also clarified the main concepts

used in the public discourse on the refugee crisis, with focus on the “asylum

seeker” – the main indicator in the European and German statistics.

Key words: Migration, refugee, asylum, Germany, integration.

1. Introduction

This article contains an analysis on official reports about the new waves of migration in

Europe and particularly in Germany. Using the secondary analysis on quantitative data

from several European and German public reports, I tried to present a meaningful and

accurate image about the recent “Asylum” phenomenon or the “refugee crisis” – a widely

publicized and debated phenomenon over the past three years.

My approach is quantitative and through the descriptive analysis I want to highlight

some important dimensions of the new migratory waves in Europe: their scale, the

measures that the European states, especially Germany, have taken for the reception and

integration of emigrants, as well as some results of these processes.

The present analysis focuses on Germany for two reasons: firstly, Germany is the

European country that has received most refugees during the crisis that I call the “new

exodus” in 2014-2017. Secondly, I personally lived a recent migratory experience in

Germany, where I came in direct contact with emigrants from countries considered to be

the largest “exporters” of refugees, like Syria and Afghanistan.

In a German language course I met women and men who had fled from the war and had

lived traumatic experiences at home and on their way to Europe. Their integration into

Germany is not easy, and attitudes and collective behaviours towards them are dual. On the

one hand, many institutions and services have been created to facilitate their integration. On

the other hand, the fear of host populations and the lack of confidence in newcomers, in the

face of increasing insecurity in Europe, create many obstacles to integration.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, csandru@unitbv.ro