Together we stand stronger

Abstract

This is an action research case study investigating social participation roadblocks and opportunities through leisure-related factors for Eritrean refugee status holders in the city of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The intent of this paper is to report on challenges and opportunities for refugees as “citizens in transition” within a specific northern European urban neighbourhood. The research project has a key focus on urban leisure with a participatory, action-oriented epistemological and activist intent. This multidisciplinary mix was designed for consulting purposes. The paper describes the situation during the period 2015 to 2016, and future challenges triggered by the migration crisis in the last decade in the European context, with specific attention devoted to the impact on the Dutch context. From such continental and national scope, the paper will shift to the outcome of a specific consulting project pertaining to 98 Eritrean refugees, aged 19 to 24 years old, temporarily hosted by the city of Nijmegen. Here, empirical research based on design thinking principles have enabled the identification of potential solutions and strategies aimed at achieving a more effective process for the inclusion of those residence holders with refugee status into the social and cultural life of their neighbourhood, with the final ambition of future integration into the city. Being a case study grounded in constructivism, the paper will firstly provide an overview of facts, figures and findings to detail the research performed, and then conclude with reflexive considerations based on bibliographic references and methodological reflections.

Keywords: design thinking, inclusion, participatory action research, refugee crisis, social innovation, urban futures, urban leisure