Dr. Ergün Özgür

Ongoing global conflicts, natural disasters, and the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism have led to significant displacement around the world. According to the UNHCR, the Syrian war, which began in 2011, has forcibly displaced over 12 million people. Furthermore, the earthquakes in February 2023 affected 8.8 million individuals, destroying homes and displacing even more people. Turkey, which hosted around 4 million Syrian refugees, signed the 'EU-Turkey Refugee Deal' in 2016, exchanging refugee management for financial aid from Europe. Neighbouring countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon have hosted approximately 2 million Syrian refugees, while 1 million have resettled in European countries. This research argues that highly skilled forced migrants or refugees, such as scholars or journalists, often struggle to maintain their competitive edge in new host countries. For instance, some displaced associate professors seek recognition of their qualifications as equivalent to a 'habilitation' in Germany or Austria. However, the European academic structure rarely enables displaced scholars to secure full-time professorships due to limited positions. This dilemma also affects postdoctoral researchers, with many forced to leave academia after 12 years. Precarious situations, like those experienced by the 'Mittelbau,' impact displaced and refugee scholars who rely on short-term scholarships. Nonetheless, some may secure longer-term funding if they demonstrate strong publication records, particularly through DFG or ERC grants. This cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research aims to investigate the life journeys, work trajectories, labour market integration, and societal participation of highly qualified Syrian Circassian refugees, displaced for the fourth time, in two multicultural capitals: Berlin and Amsterdam. The study will explore multiple displacements, Circassian diaspora networks and their solidarity mechanisms, and the challenges faced by these refugees. The research seeks to understand how these networks contribute to their labour market integration and societal participation while identifying the challenges encountered along the way.