Older Refugees: Strategies in Dealing With Denied Recognition

Abstract

Until now the topic linking age and the moment of fleeing one’s country of origin have been of scientific interest only rarely. Older refugees have hardly attracted scientific attention. Qualitative interviews with older refugees show that Swiss integration policy is barely tailored to the needs and expectations of these persons and that they are affected by social exclusion. Therefore, older refugees have to develop their own strategies in order to participate in society and gain recognition.

Keywords

• older refugees
• integration politics
• switzerland
• social recognition
• circumstances in life