Socio-political impact and the ground realities of refugee policies in Greece

Suror Shaba  Polus; Mohd Ikbal Mohd Huda

Autores/as

Suror Shaba Polus The National University of Malaysia
Mohd Ikbal Mohd Huda The National University of Malaysia

Palabras clave:

Greece's Refugee Policies, European Refugee Crisis, Historical Context, Legal Frameworks, Socio-Political Dynamics

Resumen

This research paper will address the Greece policy regarding refugees, specifically after the European refugee crisis in 2015, when Greece turned into one of the main gates of entry of refugees leaving the conflict in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The paper explores the socio-political, legal and humanitarian frames that defined the Greek approach to the crisis. It discusses the issue that Greece had to deal with as a frontline state such as overcrowded reception centers, delay in processing asylum and insufficient integration programs. Referring to the data of the institutions like the Greek Council of Refugees, the academic research, and case studies of the different parts of Greece, the article offers a thorough analysis of the policy responses in the country. The study uses documentary analysis, qualitative interviews, and case reports in making an evaluation of the effectiveness of these policies. Results show that the asylum system in Greece has not performed well during the crisis, but it is not as simple as it is presented since there are tremendous differences in the experience of refugees across the region. The article states that a proper policy change is necessary, and there should be European Union (EU) wide unity and long-term plans on how to better manage refugees. It requires the multifaceted approach balancing humanitarian issues with practical issues at the ground level. The paper summarizes that to find sustainable solutions to the population of refugees in Greece, more effort has to be put by the EU, which means that policy change, solidarity, and long-term intervention is necessary to assist refugees and host communities in the most appropriate way.

Descargas

Los datos de descarga aún no están disponibles.

Referencias

AFOUXENIDIS, A., M. PETROU, G. KANDYLIS, A. TRAMOUNTANIS, et al. Dealing with a humanitarian crisis: Refugees on the eastern EU border of the island of Lesvos. Journal of Applied Security Research, 2017, 12(1), 7-39.

ALLEN, J., J. BARLOW, J. LEAL, T. MALOUTAS, et al. Housing and welfare in Southern Europe. Edtion ed.: Wiley Online Library, 2004.

ARBACI, S. Paradoxes of segregation: Housing systems, welfare regimes and ethnic residential change in Southern European cities. Edtion ed.: John Wiley & Sons, 2019. ISBN 9781444338324. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118867365

BAKHSHANDEH, E. AND Yeganeh, Y. Geopolitical transformation in eastern mediterranean; restructuring role of greece and the impact of abraham accord. International Studies, 2023, 60(2), 231-249.

BALAFOUTI, T., D. E. STRONGYLOU, V. SVOLOS, M. ARGYROPOULOU, et al. Addressing Childhood Obesity in Children in Need in Greece: Policy Implementers’ Knowledge, Perceptions and Lessons for Effective Implementation. Nutrients, 2025, 17(16), 2629.

BOANO, C. AND F. VERGARA-PERUCICH Neoliberalism and urban development in Latin America. Edtion ed.: Routledge Oxon, New York, 2017.

CABOT, H. On the doorstep of Europe: Asylum and citizenship in Greece. Edtion ed.: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2023. ISBN 9781512825220. Available at: https://www.pennpress.org/9780812246155/on-the-doorstep-of-europe/ (accessed on 19th May 2025).

COFFEY, A. E. Heated housing politics: climate displacement & struggles for shelter in a wildfire-affected region. 2024.

DALAKOGLOU, D. Beyond spontaneity: Crisis, violence and collective action in Athens. City, 2012, 16(5), 535-545.

GOODWIN-GILL, G. S. The office of the united nations high commissioner for refugees and the sources of international refugee law. International & Comparative Law Quarterly, 2020, 69(1), 1-41.

JOSIPOVIČ, D. 1.1. Geopolitics and Migration: Migration Industry as an Important Factor of (de) stabilization of Europe and the Middle East. Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade│ 2017, 2017, 3.

KANELLIS, G. Refugee Protection in Greece: Compliance Challenges and Legal Obligations Under European and International Law. Available at SSRN, 2025.

KOOPMANS, R. AND P. STATHAM Challenging immigration and ethnic relations politics: Comparative European perspectives. Edtion ed.: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 9780198295617. Available at: https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/challenging-immigration-and-ethnic-relations-politics-comparative (accessed on accessed on 25th May 2025).

MAANI, L. Refugees in the European Union: the harsh reality of the Dublin Regulation. Notre Dame J. Int'l Comp. L., 2018, 8, 83.

PAPADOPOULOU, C.-I., S. KALOGIANNIDIS, D. KALFAS, G. KONTEOS, et al. Civil Protection in Greece’s Cities and Regions: Multi-Hazard Performance, Systemic Gaps, and a Roadmap to Integrated Urban Resilience. Urban Science, 2025, 9(9), 362.

PAPAGEORGAKI, K. A. The current refugee crisis: lessons from the past and ways or policies to confront them, according to the European Union framework 2022.

PAPALEONIDOPOULOS, G. Social justice and social work with asylum seekers and refugees in times of crisis: Voices from the front line. University of Essex, 2023.

PENDAKIS, K. L. Migrant advocacy under austerity: transforming solidarity in the Greek-refugee regime. Journal of Refugee Studies, 2021, 34(2), 1516-1539.

POLUS, S. S. AND M. I. MOHD HUDA German Integration Model for Refugees: Processes and Perspectives. Jebat: Malaysian Journal of History, Politics & Strategy, 2024, 51(4).