Life in a Refugee Center

Millions of people leave their homes due to war and conflicts and seek asylum in different countries in the world, this causes nations to take actions to provide them assistance. In Germany, the wake of a drastically increasing numbers of asylum seekers in 2015, led the country to mobilize efforts to host newcomers. During this year, four thousand refugees arrived in the city of Freiburg alone, and in order to accommodate them, the government arranged emergency dormitories and commissioned the construction of temporary accommodation centers. This research focuses on exploring the experiences and perceptions of the inhabitants of Längenloh, a new and unique accommodation center in Freiburg, Germany, where refugees and students lived together for one academic year. By means of a case study based on in-depth interviews and observations, the development of social practices and interactions among the inhabitants of the accommodation center were analyzed. This study covers a period of six months, from the arrival of students in October 2016 until the end of the first semester of April 2017.