REFUGEES CARE!

How do people care for one another during and after displacement? How do they support each other, and what role do these caring practices and relationships play in their lives? While forcibly displaced people are often portrayed primarily as vulnerable and in need of assistance, the research project “REFUGEES CARE!” shifts the focus towards their active roles as practitioners of care. 

Funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the project explores how forcibly displaced people practise and experience different forms of care, and how these practices contribute to safety, peace and the rebuilding of lives. Particular attention is paid to gendered and other social differences in shaping experiences and practices of care. Research takes place in Germany and Italy – in Hamburg, Bremen and Sicily – exploring experiences both during displacement and after arrival. 

A central focus of the project is placed on participatory and co-creative research methods. Through collaborative workshops, creative “care journals” and arts-based approaches, the experiences, knowledge and perspectives of forcibly displaced people are actively incorporated into the research process. The project aims to challenge established narratives about forced migration, generate insights for more responsive refugee policies and practices, and contribute to reshaping public debates and perceptions of migration and security. 

Duration: October 2026 - October 2028