Immigrant and refugee flows in Lesvos: scientific investigation of local society’s perceptions regarding the phenomenon

Abstract

In contemporary society, without exaggeration, human flows consists of a complex demographic and socioeconomic phenomenon with enormous consequences for host as well as origin areas. The rapid increase of the above-mentioned movements during the last years has created a crucial social issue in host places with a particular emphasis to the Eastern Aegean islands. The current study depicts this exactly situation; that is the everyday life and the effects on the life of the island of Lesvos, which receives the greatest waves of refugee and immigrant populations between the islands of Eastern Aegean, through the way the inhabitants perceive, comprehend and cope with the phenomenon. The views and the predisposition of the inhabitants of local society contributes decisively so as to assess as efficient or not the integration measures imposed by the State in addition to the quality and success of specific inclusion measures that are put forward for public debate regarding the possibility of their implementation. Based on the above, the necessity of a bundle of spatial, legal, educational and social measures is deemed necessary so as the aforementioned people to be protected from social dangers.