THE TENSION BETWEEN INTEGRATION AND RETURN-ORIENTED REFUGEE POLICIES IN DENMARK: A CASE STUDY OF SYRIAN REFUGEES
Author
Arobi, Nadia Mohonaj
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-28
Pages
59
Abstract
This thesis explores the tension between integration policies and return-oriented refugee policies in Denmark, using Syrian refugees as a case. In recent years, European refugee governance has combined integration tools with temporary protection, creating a dual approach. Integration policies aim for long-term social inclusion, participation in the labor market, and greater everyday independence. Return-oriented policies focus on security concerns and the option of repatriation if conditions in the country of origin are judged safe. The study uses qualitative document analysis of Danish legislation, policy documents, official reports, and international sources. The analysis shows a clear contradiction: refugees are invited to become part of society, yet their legal status remains uncertain because return is still kept on the table. This dual logic reflects broader trends in migration governance, where states try to balance humanitarian principles with political pressures to control migration. The thesis contributes to academic debates on policy coherence and temporary protection regimes by highlighting how integration and return policies coexist within a national framework. It underscores the governance implications of inconsistency and its effects on the success of refugee integration.
Dette speciale undersøger spændingen mellem integrationspolitikker og tilbagevenden-orienterede flygtningepolitikker i Danmark med syriske flygtninge som case. I de seneste år har europæisk flygtningestyring kombineret integrationsværktøjer med ordninger for midlertidig beskyttelse, hvilket skaber en todelt tilgang. Integrationspolitikker sigter mod langvarig social inklusion, deltagelse på arbejdsmarkedet og større selvstændighed i hverdagen. Tilbagevenden-orienterede politikker fokuserer derimod på sikkerhedshensyn og muligheden for hjemsendelse, hvis forholdene i hjemlandet vurderes som sikre. Specialet bygger på kvalitativ dokumentanalyse af danske love, politiske dokumenter, officielle rapporter og internationale kilder. Analysen viser en tydelig modsigelse: Flygtninge opfordres til at blive en del af samfundet, men deres retlige status forbliver usikker, fordi tilbagevenden stadig er en mulighed. Denne dobbelte logik afspejler bredere tendenser i migrationsstyring, hvor stater forsøger at forene humanitære principper med politisk pres for migrationskontrol. Specialet bidrager til akademiske diskussioner om sammenhæng i politik (policy coherence) og ordninger for midlertidig beskyttelse ved at belyse, hvordan integration og tilbagevenden sameksisterer i en national ramme. Det peger på konsekvenserne af manglende konsistens for styring og for, hvor vellykket flygtninges integration bliver.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]