The integration of refugees with prospects of remaining in the country has noticeably shifted into the focus of public attention and is presently being addressed in numerous research projects as well. Our contribution aims to address the significance, which the various contacts or networks, respectively, hold for the integration of the refugees. Issues of particular interest are how contacts to friends and families are maintained, what role these contacts play in the refugees’ daily lives, how new social contacts are established in the arrival context, and which factors may ease or hinder the creation of new contacts. Based on the assumption that integration processes of migrants and refugees are influenced to a large extent by the prevailing local context, we investigated whether there are differences between a metropolitan situation (city of Cologne) and a small or medium-sized setting (district of Heinsberg) in the social contacts and networks of the refugees. In both distinct local contexts, which are located in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), we conducted qualitative interviews with 41 refugees in total. All interviews were recorded, subsequently transcribed and analysed using a largely inductive category scheme. Due to the exceptional situation of the flight and the assignment of a place of residence by the state, similarly escaped relatives and friends from the past usually live in other parts of Germany or even in other countries, and therefore cannot serve as a localised network to cushion the individual’s arrival. Within the arrival context, contacts to other refugees who share the same or a similar background and language provide an important source of practical support and emotional backing. Bridging ties to members of the receiving society are most likely to be established through language courses and volunteer initiatives. Here, the openness and proactive attitude of the refugees prove to be an important factor. The metropolis offers abundant opportunities for new but fleeting social contacts. In the context of small and medium-sized towns, the greater manageability imbues the newly developing networks with greater stability.

中文翻译：

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抵达背景下的难民社会接触和网络 - 在大城市和选定的中小城镇的表现

有可能留在该国的难民融入社会已显着转变为公众关注的焦点，目前也在众多研究项目中得到解决。我们的贡献旨在解决各种联系或网络分别对难民融合的重要性。特别感兴趣的问题是如何与朋友和家人保持联系，这些联系在难民的日常生活中扮演什么角色，如何在抵达的环境中建立新的社会联系，以及哪些因素可能会缓解或阻碍建立新的联系。基于移民和难民的融合进程在很大程度上受当前当地环境影响的假设，我们调查了大城市（科隆市）和中小型环境（海因斯贝格区）在难民的社会联系和网络方面是否存在差异。在位于北莱茵-威斯特法伦州（德国）的两种不同的当地环境中，我们总共对 41 名难民进行了定性访谈。所有采访都被记录下来，随后使用大量归纳分类方案进行转录和分析。由于航班的特殊情况和国家指定的居住地，过去同样逃跑的亲友通常居住在德国其他地区甚至其他国家，因此无法作为本地化网络缓冲个人的到来。在到达上下文中，与拥有相同或相似背景和语言的其他难民的接触提供了实际支持和情感支持的重要来源。最有可能通过语言课程和志愿者倡议建立与接收社会成员的桥梁纽带。在这里，难民的开放和积极态度被证明是一个重要因素。大都市为新的但短暂的社会交往提供了丰富的机会。在中小城镇的背景下，更大的可管理性赋予新发展的网络更大的稳定性。难民的开放和积极态度被证明是一个重要因素。大都市为新的但短暂的社会交往提供了丰富的机会。在中小城镇的背景下，更大的可管理性赋予新发展的网络更大的稳定性。难民的开放和积极态度被证明是一个重要因素。大都市为新的但短暂的社会交往提供了丰富的机会。在中小城镇的背景下，更大的可管理性赋予新发展的网络更大的稳定性。