Work Package 2 examines how encounters between forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) and street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) shape trust in democratic institutions. These initial encounters are assumed to leave a lasting impact on FDPs’ perception of the state, its institutions and actors. In light of the reception of Ukrainian FDPs, SLBs had to adapt rapidly to new legislation and policies, often in close collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs) providing support. Studying these interactions between FDPs, SLBs, and CSOs is therefore key to understanding how political participation takes shape. WP2 delivers six country-specific policy reports—covering Germany, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden—focusing on labour market, education, and housing as central areas. The country-specific reports, drawing on policy research and expert interviews, lay foundation for a cross-country comparative analysis. Furthermore, focus group discussions with SLBs and CSOs and interviews with FDPs provide the foundation to investigate the role of affect and affective geopolitics in these encounters. This research is complemented by SensArticulate-based methods with Ukrainian FDPs to capture the complexity of these experiences.
