EU: Forced Displacement and Refugee-Host Community Solidarity (FOCUS)

At the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, tens of thousands of people were fleeing their home countries every day to escape war, persecution and oppression. Over 1 million migrants and asylum seekers arrived in Europe that year. The migrations have profound impact on the lives of migrants, but also on the lives of the host communities where migrants live as refugees. Today, the number of asylum seekers reaching Europe has dropped dramatically but the challenges remain. The EU-funded FOCUS project will study the socio-psychological dimensions of refugee and host-community relations and analyse the socio-economic integration of refugees and what this means for host societies. FOCUS will seek solutions for host communities to increase tolerance, facilitating peaceful coexistence and reduced radicalisation across Europe and the Middle East.