Lost in translation: Quota refugees, resettlement and ways into the Danish society

In 2021 Denmark began – after a five year break – receiving quota refugees again. Yearly, around 200 Congolese refugees come from camps in Rwanda. They are lone women and children – sometimes in three generations. They are distributed across Denmark and are directly at their arrival sent to their new home municipalities and temporary housing, so they can begin their way into the Danish society.

This presentation is based on Professor Mikkel Rytter’s on-going research project “Reorienting integrations” – a Velux-funded HumPraxis project and a collaboration between Aarhus University, VIVE, DRC Danish Refugee Council and a number of Danish municipalities. The presentation discusses some of the many challenges and radical disorientations new citizens meet during their first time in Denmark, as well as what the near and more distant future brings.