Urban refugee settlement and the socio-political characteristics of the refugees

The historical juncture of “1922” —that is, the multifaceted rupture marked by the end of the Megali Idea and the ensuing tectonic demographic shift—lies at the heart of this research field. Our primary concern is the critical examination of the politics of population exchange: a reconsideration of policies of separation and population management, the legacy of state choices grounded in exclusion or inclusion, and the ways in which these choices both reflect and shape social aspirations from the early 20th century to the end of the Second World War.

The central aim of the research is to focus on the complex web of political, social, and economic forces that emerged after 1922 and shaped both the process of refugee resettlement and the development of refugee neighbourhoods in Greece. Through this investigation, we seek to analyse resettlement policies by situating the Greek experience within the broader European discourse on refugee crisis management and the formulation of national policies—through collaboration, but also through tensions and conflict—with international organisations.