VUB research highlights refugees' resilience despite systemic challenges 

Dr. Hanna E. Schneider (Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Migration and Minorities (BIRMM) – VUB) critically explores the complexities of refugee resettlement, examining refugees’ agency alongside the systemic challenges that shape their journeys. 

Schneider’s research reveals that while refugees actively engage in navigating the resettlement process – seeking information, building relationships with humanitarian actors, and making decisions about resettlement offers – these efforts are frequently hindered by systemic barriers. Inefficient procedures, a lack of transparency in decision-making, and prolonged uncertainty often leave refugees with little control over their futures. 

Drawing on fieldwork conducted in Germany, Jordan, and Turkey, the study explores how refugees interact with the institutions managing third-country resettlement, a rare legal pathway to international protection. Resettlement involves transferring refugees from a host country to a third country that offers permanent residency and protection. Schneider’s findings present a dual narrative: while refugees demonstrate agency through strategies such as gathering information, leveraging social networks, and deciding whether to accept or reject resettlement offers, these actions are often constrained by systemic inefficiencies, opaque decision-making, and extended uncertainty, leaving refugees trapped in a state of “protracted uncertainty.” 

“Refugees are not passive recipients of aid,” Schneider explains. “They actively navigate the resettlement process, despite significant constraints. However, the very systems designed to offer protection often heighten their insecurities.” 

The research emphasizes that resettlement is far more than a bureaucratic process – it is a deeply human experience, shaped by refugees’ hopes, fears, and limited opportunities to influence the system. While refugees must demonstrate vulnerability to qualify for resettlement, they are simultaneously expected to adapt quickly upon arrival in a new country, a paradox that adds emotional and psychological strain. 

Crucially, Schneider’s work highlights the underexamined phenomenon of refugees rejecting resettlement offers. Such decisions are often influenced by strong family ties, cultural connections to the host country or country of origin, fears of losing cultural identity, and a lack of information about life in the destination country. The research reveals that some refugees make these decisions hastily or under pressure, leading to regret when circumstances change, such as worsening living conditions in the host country. These findings underscore that rejections are driven by complex factors, including personal relationships, cultural concerns, fears of the unknown, and practical challenges like misinformation or insufficient resources. 

At a time when international resettlement programs are under increasing pressure, Schneider’s research calls on policymakers to prioritize transparency, streamline procedures to reduce delays, and address systemic inefficiencies. These changes are crucial to ensuring refugees can make informed decisions about their futures and face the resettlement process with greater certainty and support. 

The recent halt of Belgium’s resettlement program has severe consequences, limiting safe pathways for the world’s most vulnerable refugees and weakening international solidarity with host countries. Restarting resettlement is crucial to addressing these challenges, and Schneider’s research provides valuable guidance on how to build a more effective and humane system. By shedding light on refugees’ lived experiences and systemic barriers, the study outlines practical steps to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, improve communication, and provide emotional and cultural support, ensuring a resettlement process that upholds dignity and protection. 

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References: 

Schneider, H. (2021). Implementing the Refugee Resettlement Process: Diverging Objectives, Interdependencies and Power Relations. Frontiers in Political Science, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2021.629675 

Schneider, H. (2024). Intentions, Strategies, and Actions: How Refugees Exert Agency in the ​ Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Process from ​ Jordan and Turkey to ​ ​ Germany. Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, 40(2), Article 2. 

Contact: 

Dr. Hanna E. Schneider (ENG & DE)

Email: hanna.schneider@vub.be 

Tel: available on demand