Ethnography of Loss and Change: war refugees in Visegrád countries

The past few decades have witnessed a massive increase in human mobility triggered by various violent conflicts. Many of those who flee from conflict zones seek security in places regarded as relatively stable, prosperous and safe, such as countries in the European Union (EU). These migrants usually have only one legal option if they wish to stay in these destination countries: They must apply for asylum. In a world of unprecedented mobility, the legal and institutional infrastructure that responds to asylum seekers’ issues is increasingly used as a tool for migration control.
My project concerns the way in which war refugees rebuild their lives in the context of increased securitisation of borders and politicisation of migration. I focus on migrants in new EU member states in East-Central Europe, asking questions such how those affected by war and forced displacement remake a world. How do changes in asylum and migration law, poverty or xenophobia in new EU member states in East-Central Europe impact on refugees’ lived experiences?