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    How regional attitudes towards immigration shape the chance to obtain asylum: Evidence from Germany
    (Oxford Academic, 2024-03-06) Gundacker, Lidwina; Kosyakova, Yuliya; Schneider, Gerald
    Asylum recognition rates in advanced democracies differ not only across states but also vary within them, translating into fluctuating individual chances to obtain protection. Existing studies on the determinants of these regional inequities typically rely on aggregate data. Utilizing a German refugee survey and leveraging a quasi-natural experiment arising from state-based allocation rules tied to national dispersal policies, we test two explanations for the perplexing regional differences. Drawing on principal–agent models of administrative decision-making, we test whether asylum decision-makers consciously or unconsciously comply with regional political preferences between 2015 and 2017 in Germany, one of the major European destination countries for refugee migration. We furthermore explore whether such biased decision-making amplifies in times of organizational stress as suggested by the statistical discrimination theory. Using mixed-effects logistic regressions, our analyses confirm a lower approval probability in regions with more immigration-averse residents or governments. We cannot confirm, however, that this association is mediated by high workloads or large knowledge gaps. Our results thus suggest that regional political biases affect the individual chance of asylum-seekers to obtain protection irrespective of temporal administrative conditions.
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    Return intentions among Ukrainian refugees in Europe: A Cross-National Study
    (Wiley, 2024-06-22) van Tubergen, Frank; Wachter, Gusta G.; Kosyakova, Yuliya; Kogan, Irena
    This study examines the return intentions of Ukrainian refugee women who fled to various European countries following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. By analysing data from the cross-national OneUA survey, which included over 18,000 respondents in eight European countries, this research investigates the interplay of contextual, compositional, and cross-level interaction effects on their intentions to return to Ukraine. Our findings reveal notable country differences in return intentions, with Ukrainian women in the Netherlands and Germany displaying the lowest intentions to return, while those in Moldova and Romania showing the highest. Individual-level effects, encompassing factors such as level of education, language skills, partnership status, and region of origin play a significant role in shaping return intentions, yet do not explain the observed country variations. Furthermore, we find that individual-level effects are remarkably consistent across different European countries, suggesting that country- and individual-level conditions independently shape return intentions. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the complexities underlying refugees' return intentions, shedding light on both the broad influences of country context and the significance of individual characteristics.
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    War beyond borders: how military conflict in Ukraine shapes refugees’ settlement intentions abroad
    (Oxford Academic, 2026-03-05) Kosyakova, Yuliya; Ette, Andreas; Schwanhäuser, Silvia
    This study investigates whether military conflict intensities in refugees’ home regions continue to shape their lives after arrival in a safe haven. While war and local conflict are well-established drivers of initial displacement, it remains unclear whether ongoing conflict influences settlement decision once refugees have escaped the immediate threat. We address this question using longitudinal data from the IAB-BiB/FReDA-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Ukrainian refugees in Germany, linked to high-frequency conflict data from Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion. Our findings show that both short- and long-term conflict intensities significantly affect refugees’ intentions to settle permanently abroad, with short-term shocks exerting a markedly stronger influence. Emotional responses to acute violence appear to disrupt more deliberative planning, consistent with ecological models of refugee distress. In contrast, long-term conflict intensity effects are weaker and diminish with time spent in the host country, suggesting processes of adaptation or habituation. We also find important heterogeneity: male refugees and those migrating for economic or family reasons are particularly sensitive to conflict dynamics, whereas those with family left behind are generally less inclined to settle permanently. Contrary to expectations, prior war exposure does not moderate current settlement intentions, pointing to possible acclimatization or avoidance strategies among highly exposed individuals. Overall, our results highlight the importance of integrating both emotional and evaluative processes into sociological models of refugee decision-making. They also highlight how even after arrival in safety, evolving home-country violence continues to shape refugees’ settlement trajectories.
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    Determinants of refugees’ generalised and institutional trust: evidence from Germany
    (Taylor & Francis, 2025-06-10) Kanas, Agnieszka; van Tubergen, Frank; Kosyakova, Yuliya
    This paper examines the factors shaping refugees’ institutionalised and generalised trust, focusing on three key influences: (1) pre-arrival migration effects, such as experiences of trauma; (2) asylum procedure effects, including the length and outcome of the process and perceptions of fairness; and (3) post-procedure effects, particularly the context of reception. Using data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP survey of refugees in Germany, we find that the conditions of the asylum process and the reception context are critical determinants of refugees’ trust. Specifically, while the length of the asylum process and living in shared accommodations negatively affect institutional trust, these impacts are largely mediated by other refugee-specific experiences, such as perceptions of procedural and interactional justice. Receiving a positive asylum decision directly enhances refugees’ trust in German institutions and other people, whereas being trapped in existential limbo severely erodes trust levels. Additionally, refugees subject to residency restrictions exhibit lower institutional and generalised trust levels than those without such limitations. These findings highlight the critical role of short and fair asylum procedures and inclusive reception policies in fostering trust among refugees, with significant implications for improving integration outcomes and social cohesion.
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    Staying, Leaving, or Returning? Conflict Resolution Preferences and Migration among Ukrainian Women
    (Tallinn University, 2025-07-07) Kogan, Irena; Kosyakova, Yuliya; van Tubergen, Frank
    Little is known in the literature about non-economic factors that might shape migrant selectivity. This study examines how preferences for resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict relate to the migration patterns and intentions of Ukrainians following the Russian full-scale aggression. Drawing on the concepts of place utility and migration decision-making models, we analyse data from the OneUA survey, which was collected around six months after Russia’s full-scale invasion among almost 25,000 Ukrainian women residing in Ukraine and abroad. Our results, based on a series of logistic regressions, suggest that Ukrainian women favouring a military solution to the conflict are more likely to remain in their pre-war residence in Ukraine rather than being internally displaced (i.e., IDP) or moving abroad (i.e., refugees). Moreover, among women forced to leave the country as refugees, those who favour a military solution exhibit a stronger intention to return. Conversely, among women still in Ukraine, those who favour a military solution less are more likely to consider international migration. Our study advances research on self-selection into migration based on non-economic factors, emphasising the role of political perceptions in displacement and resettlement patterns in conflict-affected regions.