Reciprocity, trust and conflict

Volunteers and refugees in rural Germany

Bibliographic Data

ID2306492
AuthorsGreta Wagner (0009-0006-8459-8944, Goethe University Frankfurt, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume74
Issue3
Pages396-412
Publication date2025-02-05
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCurrent Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0011-3921 • E-ISSN: 1461-7064
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/00113921241310604
OpenAlexW4407176201
LanguageEN
References cited51

The refugees who arrived in Germany in 2015 and 2016 were largely housed in village communities where people did not previously have extensive exposure to cultural diversity. This article focuses on the relationships between refugees and the volunteers who support them as they arrive in their new communities, which were examined over a long-term period based on qualitative data. It also examines the role of perceptions of reciprocity and conflict resolution between volunteers and refugees in fostering trust. When relationships are perceived as reciprocal, trust develops; when reciprocity is blocked or denied, mistrust emerges. In addition, when conflicts are addressed in a productive manner, trust can be repaired or even strengthened. Since the sociological literature on trust usually assumes that it flourishes where there is no conflict, this is a surprising finding. The article illustrates on a micro-level what might be a valuable perspective on pluralistic societies in general: The integrative role of conflict

Criminology · Political science · Racism · Reciprocity (cultural anthropology) · Refugee · Social science · Sociology · Xenophobia · Gender Studies · Law · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics

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