Motivations and Views on State Support for Refugees: Distinguishing Between Politically and Socially Engaged

This research investigates engagement for refugees within the German socio-political landscape. Following the arrival of one million forced migrants from Ukraine to Germany in 2022, we conducted two surveys on those who volunteered in support. The first was on general engagement (N = 2000) and the second was on individuals who provided homestay accommodation (N = 3682). Our analysis explores the driving motivations for different types of engagement, comparing individuals involved in political activities with those engaged in social-humanitarian activities. We find that value-based motivations impact both political and social-humanitarian engagement, with universalism driving political engagement and benevolence linked to social-humanitarian involvement. Further, differing motivations and types of engagement align with varying beliefs about the role of the state, suggesting that individuals engaged politically believe in increased state responsibility, contrasting with views held by socially engaged individuals. These findings are contextualized within the broader literature on engagement and migration regimes.