Time: September 1997 - July 1999

Supervisor: Professor Maria Beatriz Rocha-Tridade

Funding organisation: Foundation for Science and Technology

Project description Objectives:

• obtain data that contribute for the theoretical discussion in the Portuguese and European context.
• develop a work that can have interest for the official and NGO`s, and for the refugees.

Research questions (main topics): Reasons for departure; Difficulties of insertion; Decision to stay or return ; Survival strategies.

Importance of this research The study of refugees (and the integration process) in Portugal is at is beginning. To my knowledge there is only two works published (one article and a Master Dissertation -at Open University- about asylum seekers (mostly a statistical account).

The study of recognised refugees is inexistent. The scope of my work is this group, those that had receive a refugee status or a resident permit for humanitarian reasons. Although I only work with this group I do recognise the existence, sociologically, of more refugees is Portugal.

My study starts with an description of the recent theoretical analyses of this issue. After I analyse the flux and characteristics of asylum seekers in Portugal since 1974 until 1997 in order to compare it with the European situation. The next chapter is an analyses of the evolution of the refugee concept in the Portuguese law and the admission and reception policies towards asylum seekers and recognised refugees during this last twenty years. The bulk of my study is an analyses of 25 life stories of refugees from third world countries (the majority of Portuguese recognised refugees).

Methodology of the research: Due to the innovative area and the difficulties (non-existence) of obtaining data concerning asylum seekers and recognised refugees I use a methodology characteristic of the exploratory works. Namely, I used interviews with key persons in official institutions, NGOs and associations working with asylum seekers and refugees. I also made field work for more than a year with the Portuguese Refugee Council as a volunteer doing social work and participating in many refugees activities and events. The interviews with key persons and with refugees were made with an open guided questionnaire .

Theoretical framework This is a anthropological research in an interdisciplinary context. I analyse this issue in the framework that considers the situation of the refugees today in the structure of conflict in the host society but also taking in consideration their position in the society of origin. In order to understand this I study not only the refugee situation, but the practice of Portuguese policies towards them, and most important, the perception that refugees have of being accompanied or left aside by Portuguese society.

Planned Output: I intend to publish my work and make an article with the main conclusions and translate it into English. I will use the material obtained and the conclusions to make further studies on this issue and to use it in teaching, possibly at the university, and in work with NGOs working with refugees.

I intend to work towards a PhD in two years time.