Contact and integration. A literature review about asylum seekers and refugees receiving programmes

Nowadays, there is an increase in the number of forced migrants in the world. Despite the attempts by supranational institutions to find cooperative solutions among receiving countries, there are still fragmented approaches and confusion about how to better manage the phenomenon, with significant consequences in the acculturation processes. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze how scholars have studied asylum seekers or refugees receiving practices in western countries, regarding the nature of contact experiences between locals and migrants, and their outcomes as for social and economic inclusion, increased wellbeing, socio-cultural adaptation, and reduction of discrimination. Thirty five articles met the inclusion criteria. The results showed the importance of personal contact experiences in facilitating the social and economic inclusion of migrants, as well as the reduction of prejudice and discrimination in both directions. Moreover, overly structured programmes or paternalistic attitudes towards migrants were found to hinder integration processes, emphasizing the need to pay attention to migrant agency. The wide variety of approaches of the considered studies did not allow a systematic comparison between results. Nevertheless, this review highlights that receiving practice locally rooted fostered integration and positive intercultural relations, suggesting researchers to further investigate this kind of experiences. Findings have also implications for policy makers.