Perceptions of Deservingness

This study examines how perceptions of deservingness influence the integration outcomes of Ukrainian and Russian refugees in Germany. To evaluate perceptions, we conducted research employing Wim van Oorschot's CARIN framework, which comprises five criteria: Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity, and Need. While the European Union reinitiated its Temporary Protection Directive to expedite the integration of Ukrainian refugees, Russian political emigrants have experienced fragmented asylum processes and uncertainty. Employing nearly 200 secondary data units from policy documents, humanitarian statistics, media coverage, and civil society reports between 2022 and 2025, we conducted a two-stage coding method to uncover thematic differences in legal status, civic engagement, public perception, and institutional accessibility. The research results indicate that Ukrainians are perceived as more "deserving" due to cultural ties, political alignment, and victimhood during wartime, whereas Russians faced suspicion and were viewed as a security threat due to their nationality. These findings highlight that deservingness is a socially constructed concept shaped by public opinion and institutional narratives

Directive · Emigration · European union · Perception · Politics · Public opinion · Refugee · Thematic analysis · Ukrainian · Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees · Migration, Health and Trauma · Migration, Refugees, and Integration