Forced Migration and Transnational Family Arrangements - Eritrean and Syrian Refugees in Germany (TransFAR): Methodology Report

Abstract

Forced migration and its impact on family dynamics is an important topic with high policy relevance. However, this intersection has received little scientific attention because quantitative surveys on refugee populations are scarce and mainly focus on individuals. Families, their transnational arrangements and social integration into the host society remain insufficiently researched. The project "Forced Migration and Transnational Family Arrangements - Eritrean and Syrian Refugees in Germany" (TransFAR) aims at filling this gap by determining the structure and spatial dispersion of forced migrants’ families, their family lives, as well as the way in which these interact with social life and participation in the host country. The project takes a comparative cross-national perspective by covering two of the major countries of origin of refugees in Germany: Eritrea and Syria. These two countries serve as illustrative examples of the migra-tion/flight dynamics and integration processes established between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East on the one hand and European refugee-receiving countries on the other. The TransFAR project is based on a quantitative survey that was carried out in summer 2020, targeting individuals with Eritrean or Syrian citizen-ship aged 18-45 years at arrival, who migrated to Germany between June 2013 and June 2019. The nationally representative sample was drawn from the Central Register of Foreigners in Germany. The realised sample includes 1,458 persons from Eritrea and Syria (50% women, 50% men). This documentation presents the aim, scope, design, and realisation of the survey.