Mixed (Ar)rivals: Unravelling inter-migrant group relations
Main Objective
The main objective of the project is to unravel inter-migrant group relations and to answer when they may turn rival or rather solidary.
The aim is to understand and examine the following three main research questions:
- When and how do different (forced) migrant groups become potential rivals?
- What factors increase or decrease the risk of rivalries between (forced) migrant groups?
- When do rivalries turn to resentment and potential social tensions?
While the focus is on rivalries, we at the same time examine how they may be prevented and how solidarity practices may be fostered. MixedRivals takes a cross-sectional comparative research design with case study elements; Collecting qualitative and quantitative data in five North African cities.
Method Steps
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Field Research and Data Collection
Mixed (Ar)rivals takes a cross-sectional comparative research design with case study elements; collecting qualitative and quantitative data in five North African cities: Tunis and Sousse (Tunisia), Cairo (Egypt) and Rabat and Casablanca (Morocco).These cities are chosen as they represent a “hub” of mixed migrant arrivals.
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De Facto (Forced) Migration Policy
Building on previous data collection efforts, the project will try to code new and extended data on de facto (forced) migration policies in (North) Africa that reflects the refugee and migrant rights situation in practice and on the ground. The focus will particularly lie on the access to the labor market and free movement policies,…
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Inter-Migrant Group Relations
The project aims at advancing the conceptual and theoretical framework on inter-migrant group relations by taking an interdisciplinary approach bringing together 1) socio-psychology 2) violent conflict research 3) the rivalry concept 4) refugee and migration studies and 5) policy effects literature together.
News
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Presenting Preliminary Findings in Tunis
In May 2026, Heidrun Bohnet presented preliminary findings from the project’s fieldwork in Tunisia at the international conference ‘Temporary Migration (20th–21st Centuries): Spaces, Frameworks, and Imaginaries’. Her presentation shared first insights into perceptions among different Sub-Saharan migrant communities and contributed to ongoing discussions on migration, mobility, and inequality. The conference was held in Tunis and…
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New Journal Article by Shaddin Almasri
A new project-related publication by Shaddin Almasri, co-authored with Alemu Asfaw Nigusie, was published in Migration Studies in 2026. Titled ‘The permanent few or the temporary many? Evaluating refugee integration obstructors through implementation of the Ethiopia and Jordan Job Compacts,’ the article examines how policy and governance shape refugee labour inclusion in Ethiopia and Jordan,…
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New Policy Paper on Migrant Education in Egypt
A new project-related policy paper, co-authored by Amira Abdelaziz Elsaid, addresses barriers that migrants in Egypt face in accessing education, a key basic service. Focusing on school-aged Sudanese migrant children in Greater Cairo, especially at the primary level, the paper draws on stakeholder interviews, roundtable discussions, and existing research to assess current efforts and develop…
Funded by the European Union (ERC, MixedRivals, project number: 101117243). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
