Research output
A selection of what we have accomplished during the the project.
Peer-reviewed articles
Wessels, J. (2026). Walking with 360° video: Immersive empathetic ethnographic encounters with Syrians. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 25, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069261435576
Spehar, A., & Ouhdifa, Y. (2025). “Multicultural Governance in Practice: Gendered Cross-Cultural Dilemmas among Swedish and Turkish Street-Level Bureaucrats.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) closing conference, Amman 20-21 Oct, Jordan, October 2025.
Abu Zueiter, I., & Kao, K. (2025). “The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Experience on Attitudes towards Refugees in Turkey, Sweden, and Jordan.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) closing conference, Amman 20-21 Oct, Jordan, October 2025.
Spehar, A. (2025). Governing diversity at the frontline: The dual logics of cultural sensitivity and assimilation in Sweden. Nordisk välfärdsforskning | Nordic Welfare Research, 10(4), 1–16.
Jung, A., & Spehar, A. (2025). State-sanctioned uncertainty: governing the labour market participation of Syrian refugees in Adana, Irbid and Gothenburg. Review of International Political Economy, 32(5), 1338–1360. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2025.2480790
Jung, A., Irgil, E., Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2023). Navigating through depoliticisation: international stakeholders and refugee reception in Jordan and Turkey. Third World Quarterly, 44(5), 1021–1038. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2023.2174510
Isabell Schierenbeck, Andrea Spehar, Tareq Naseef, Newly arrived migrants meet street-level bureaucrats in Jordan, Sweden, and Turkey: Client perceptions of satisfaction–dissatisfaction and response strategies, Migration Studies, Volume 11, Issue 4, December 2023, Pages 523–543, https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mnad015
Andrea Spehar, Navigating Institutions for Integration: Perceived Institutional Barriers of Access to the Labour Market among Refugee Women in Sweden, Journal of Refugee Studies, Volume 34, Issue 4, December 2021, Pages 3907–3925, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa140
Books
Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2021). Migration i välfärdsstaten. Studentlitteratur.
Book chapters
Wessels, J. I. (2025). Immersiv 360°-film inom visuell antropologisk forskning. In M. Wahlberg & D. Augustsson (Eds.), Forskningsperspective på Mediaproduktion i akademiska kontexter (pp. 167–192). Svenska Mediaproduktionsakademier (SMEA). https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:39bf8f26-2b5b-4054-b686-5e531923514a
Working papers
Haliloglu Kahraman, Z. E. (2023). Analyzing the multidimensionality of Syrian refugee integration at the urban level through everyday life experiences and perceptions (SIPGI Working Paper No. 1). University of Gothenburg. https://www.gu.se/sites/default/files/2023-03/WP.%20No.1%202023.pdf
Alkhatib, W., & Cox, K. (2023). The impact of institutions on Syrian refugees in Jordan (SIPGI Working Paper No. 2). University of Gothenburg. https://www.gu.se/sites/default/files/2023-03/WP%20No.%202%202023.pdf
Turkoglu, O. (2023). Preferences for refugee settlement (SIPGI Working Paper No. 3). University of Gothenburg. https://www.gu.se/sites/default/files/2023-03/Turkolgu%20Working%20Paper%203.pdf
Wessels, J. (2023). “But you do not ‘look’ Syrian?” Experiences of Syrians in urban areas of Sweden (SIPGI Working Paper No. 4). University of Gothenburg. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4388187
Spehar, A. (2023). Labour market integration for refugees: Street-level bureaucrats’ perspectives on policy implementation gaps in Sweden (SIPGI Working Paper No. 5). University of Gothenburg. https://www.gu.se/sites/default/files/2023-04/Spehar%20SIPGI%20WP%20No.5%20%282%29.pdf
Akbiyik, Ahmet & Ferree, Karen & Kao, Kristen. (2024). Preferences for Segregation? A Study of Migrants and Hosts in Adana, Turkey. 10.2139/ssrn.4957757.
Conferences
• 2025. The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities. Amman, Jordan, 20–21 October 2025. The two-day SIPGI conference brought together 16 scholars from various countries focusing on the role of political and social institutions in the integration of forced migrants into host cities.
• 2022. The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities. University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 24–25 October 2022. The two-day SIPGI conference brought together 23 multidisciplinary scholars to present research on Syrian refugee integration in Sweden, Jordan and Turkey. The conference supported development of an international network of junior and senior scholars and the SIPGI working-paper series.
• 2022. Migration and Super-Diversity: Theory, Method and Practice. Gothenburg, Sweden, 17-18 March 2022. This conference explored the questions of how contemporary super-diversity can be conceptualized, understood and researched in urban contexts, and included a keynote lecture by Jenny Phillimore, Professor at the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, Professor of Migration and Superdiversity, University of Birmingham.
Workshops
• 2024. Arts-Based and Artistic Research in Migration and Integration Workshop. Malmö University, Sweden, 21–22 May 2024. Collaboration between K3 and MIM at Malmö University and CGM and the Academy of Art and Design at the University of Gothenburg.
• Kao, K., & Wessels, J. I. (2020). “From Apathy to Empathy? The Effects of Face-to-Face Dialogue and Virtual Reality Immersion on Attitudes towards Refugees of War in Sweden, Turkey, and Jordan” and “Building Bridges? Intergroup Contact, Power Status, and Coexistence in Jordan.” Governance and Local Development Guest Scholar Workshop with Claire Adida, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 8 January 2020. The SIPGI pre-analysis plan was presented for feedback from participating researchers.
Conference and seminar presentations
• Wessels, J. I. (2026). “Sensory anthropology, participation and immersive technology.” Higher Seminar in Anthropology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 5 February 2026.
• Wessels, J. I. (2025). “Walking with 360° video: Immersive empathetic ethnographic encounters.” Spotlight Presentation, Emerging Technology Lab, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 1 December 2025.
• Kao, K. (2024). “Neighborhood Segregation Preferences Among Migrants and Host Community Members in Turkey: A Pre-Analysis Plan with Preliminary Results,” Evidence in Governance and Politics Displacement, Migration, and Integration Priority Theme Meeting, New York University, Washington, D.C., USA, 9–10 February 2024.
• Ferree, K. (2024). “The Politics of Refugee and Migrant Admission and Integration in Turkey,” American Political Science Association APSA Annual Meetings, Washington, DC, USA, 7 September 2024.
• Akbiyik, A., Ferree, K., & Kao, K. (2024). “Neighborhood Segregation Preferences Among Migrants and Host Community Members in Turkey: A Pre-Analysis Plan with Preliminary Results.” Presented by K. Kao at the Centre on Global Migration Seminar, Gothenburg, Sweden, 25 September 2024.
• Wessels, J. I. (2023). “But you do not ‘look’ Syrian? Experiences of Syrians in urban areas of Sweden.” Second Swedish MENA Research Network Conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 24–25 August 2023.
• Wessels, J. I. (2023). “A sense of presence: Visual ethnography using immersive 360-video with Syrian refugees.” 2nd Organizing Migration and Integration in Contemporary Societies Conference (OMICS), Gothenburg, Sweden, 22–24 November 2023.
• Wessels, J. I. (2023). “A sense of presence, empathic ethnographic encounter and participatory 360 video with Syrians in Jordan.” REbuilding a sense of PLACE (REPLACE) Symposium, University of Essex, United Kingdom, 20 September 2023.
• Wessels, J. I. (2023). “A sense of presence: Empathic ethnographic encounter and participatory 360 video with Syrians in Jordan.” Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival Online Conference, panel P22b “Communication and Digital Ethnographic Research: Prospects for Multi-Sensory Experience and Engagement,” 6 March 2023.
• Wessels, J. I. (2022). “A sense of presence, empathic ethnographic encounter and participatory 360 video with Syrians in Jordan.” Lost in the Metaverse: Virtual Reality and Research, Beyond the Hype: Virtual Reality Cinema Minifest, 13–16 December 2022.
• Wessels, J. I. (2022). “Participatory visual and immersive methods: Show and tell.” VMx Workshop Teaching and Researching Visual Methods, Malmö University, 2 December 2022.
• Wessels, J. I. (2022). “A sense of presence: Visual ethnography using immersive 360-video with Syrian refugees.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 25 October 2022; and Visual Teaching and Practice Mini-Conference, Malmö, Sweden, 2 December 2022.
• Wessels, J. I. (2022). “A sense of presence: Visual ethnography using immersive 360-video with Syrian refugees.” Migration and Super-Diversity: Theory, Method and Practice, NFP-MI Conference, Centre on Global Migration, Gothenburg, Sweden, 17–18 March 2022.
• Kao, K. (2022). “Unpacking the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis: The effects of immersive virtual reality on attitudes and behaviors towards refugees in Jordan, Turkey, and Sweden.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 25 October 2022.
• Ghassaban Kjellen, M., & Abu Zueiter, I. (2022). “A multidimensional understanding of Syrian refugees’ integration in Jordan, Turkey, and Sweden (2021–2022): Policy report.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 24 October 2022.
• Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2022). “Newly arrived migrants meet street-level bureaucrats: Refugee integration in Jordan, Sweden and Turkey.” The Role of Political and Social Institutions in the Integration of Refugees into Host Cities (SIPGI) Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden, 24 October 2022.
• Spehar, A., & Schierenbeck, I. (2022). “Individualization as key to labour market integration for migrants? Street-level bureaucrats’ and migrant clients’ perspectives on policy implementation gaps in Sweden.” RC21 “Ordinary Cities in Exceptional Times” Conference, Athens, Greece, 24–26 August 2022.
• Jung, A. (2022). “Navigating through depoliticization: International stakeholders and refugee reception in Jordan and Turkey.” IMISCOE 19th Annual Conference, Oslo, Norway, 29 June–1 July 2022.
• Naseef, T., Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2022). “Newly arrived migrants meet street-level bureaucrats: Refugee integration in Jordan, Sweden and Turkey.” SWEMENA Conference 2022 – Building Networks across Sweden, the Middle East and North Africa, School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg, 13–14 June 2022.
• Wessels, J. I. (2021). “A sense of presence: Participatory digital ethnography using immersive 360-video with Syrian refugees in Sweden, Jordan and Turkey for 1st, 2nd and 3rd person perspective stories.” Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival Conference (online), 19–28 March 2021.
• Wessels, J. I. (2021). “Refugee migration and cities in Jordan, Turkey and Sweden: Using participatory 360-video as a method for research.” MIM Migration Seminar (online), Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare, Malmö University, 4 February 2021.
• Wessels, J. I. (2021). “A sense of presence: Participatory digital ethnography using immersive 360 video with Syrian refugees in Sweden, Jordan and Turkey for 1st, 2nd and 3rd person perspective stories.” Multimedia Encounters: Experimental Approaches to Ethnographic Research, Media Anthropology Lab, University College London, 12–15 January 2021.
• Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2021). “Migration in the Welfare State: Encounters between Syrian Refugees and Frontline Workers.” Presentation at Studentlitteratur, Lund, Sweden, 6 December 2021.
• Schierenbeck, I. (2021). “Migration in the Welfare State: Encounters between Syrian Refugees and Frontline Workers.” European Forum, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, 8–9 November 2021.
• Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2021). “Implementing integration policy: Encounters between street-level bureaucrats and newly arrived migrants in Sweden.” Centre on Global Migration Seminar, University of Gothenburg, 13 October 2021.
• Kao, K. (2021). Chairing a panel on immigrant and refugee incorporation in Turkey, American Political Science Association Annual Meeting (APSA), September 30-October 3, 2021, Seattle, Washington.
• Irgil, E., Jung, A., Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2021). “International donors and refugee reception in centralized states: Navigating domestic politics in Turkey and Jordan.” 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Oslo, Norway, 7–9 July 2021.
• Wessels, J. I. (2020). “Participatory digital ethnography with immersive and non-immersive audiovisuals.” Data Society Seminar, Malmö University, 1 October 2020. https://play.mau.se/media/t/0_65if50ja
Wessels, J. I. (2020). Organizer of guest research webinar “Empathy, Alterity, Morality,” with Professor Dan Zahavi. School of Arts and Communication (K3), Malmö University, 25 November 2020.
• Wessels, J. I. (2019). “Doing fieldwork in war zones of the Middle East: Safety, intuition and ethics.” British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) Annual Conference, Leeds, United Kingdom, 18–20 June 2019.
• Kao, K., & Wessels, J. (2019). “From Apathy to Empathy? The Effects of Face-to-Face Dialogue and Virtual Reality Immersion on Attitudes towards Refugees of War in Sweden, Turkey, and Jordan.” Organizing Migration and Integration in Contemporary Societies Conference, Centre on Global Migration, University of Gothenburg, 1 November 2019.
• Irgil, E., Jung, A., Schierenbeck, I., & Spehar, A. (2019). “National visions and local realities: Comparing governance approaches to refugee integration in Adana, Gothenburg and Irbid.” Organizing Migration and Integration in Contemporary Societies Conference, Centre on Global Migration, University of Gothenburg, 1 November 2019.
• Malmö Societal Impact Lab (SIL), Malmö Innovation, 2025/2026
The Malmö University SIL is an initiative from Malmö University Innovation. Societal Impact Lab is an idea development lab for researchers at Malmö University. The lab aims to promote researchers’ work with utilisation, aiming for their research results to be implemented and disseminated in society for sustainable long-term societal benefit.
As part of the cohort of Malmö University Societal Impact Lab in the years 2025/2026, the concept of co-creating 360video workshops for better understanding between people has been further developed. In 2026 collaboration has been forged with Svenska Kyrkan and Hedda Anderssons gymnasium in Lund to start piloting the co-creating workshop concept with youth participants in Sweden. See also https://innovation.uni.mau.se/en/societal-impact-lab/#participants
Reports
• Ghassaban, M., Abu Zueiter, I., Doughouz, S., & Kao, K. (2023). A multidimensional understanding of Syrian refugees’ integration in Jordan, Turkey, and Sweden (2021–2022). University of Gothenburg.
Policy briefs
• Spehar, A. (2025). Governance through uncertainty: Implications for refugee labour market integration. CGM Policy Brief 2025:2. Centre on Global Migration, University of Gothenburg.
• Spehar, A. (2025). Otydlig styrning och fragmenterat ansvar: Konsekvenser för flyktingars etablering på arbetsmarknaden. CGM Policy Brief 2025:2. Centrum för Global Migration, Göteborgs universitet.
• Spehar, A. (2025). Newly arrived migrants’ experiences of encounters with frontline bureaucrats. CGM Policy Brief 2025:1. Centre on Global Migration, University of Gothenburg.
• Spehar, A. (2025). Nyanländas upplevelser av möten med frontlinjebyråkrater. CGM Policy Brief 2025:1. Centrum för Global Migration, Göteborgs universitet.
Public engagement, installations and dissemination events
• Wessels, J. I. (2024). Presentation and public installation of the SIPGI anthropological 360° short “Our Daily Bread” at Antropologidagarna / European Anthropology Day / World Anthropology Day, Labour Museum, Norrköping, Sweden, 17 February 2024.
• Virtual Reality Cinema Minifest: Social Change and Sonics. Malmö University, 26 February–1 March 2024. Public dissemination of research output through VR installations, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Technology and Society and the Data Society Programme.
• Virtual Reality Cinema Minifest: Beyond the Hype. Malmö University, 13–16 December 2022. Public dissemination of research output through VR installations, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Technology and Society and the Data Society Programme.
• Spehar, A., & Kao, K. (2021). Presentations “Living in Europe: Work, Welfare, and Family” and “Challenges for Democracy in Post-Conflict Settings,” followed by Q&A on migration issues. International Youth Think Tank, Lindholmen Visual Arena, Gothenburg, 23 November 2021.
• Kao, K. (2025). “Neighborhood Segregation Preferences Among Migrants and Host Community Members in Turkey and Sweden.” International Science Festival (Vetenskapsfestivalen), Gothenburg, Sweden, 6 April 2025.
Participatory VR360 workshops
• 7–9 September 2022, Irbid, Jordan. Participatory VR360 workshop in collaboration with Yarmouk University. Syrian and Jordanian participants co-created 360° video content and engaged in dialogue about encounters between groups.
SIPGI research VR360 films
• Walking to the Migration Agency in Göteborg (Sweden) — immersive 360° research film.
• Walking through Adana to the “Syrian Streets” (Turkey) — immersive 360° research film.
• Our Daily Bread (Turkey) — early morning with a Syrian family in Adana after the earthquake, baking traditional khobz tannour bread.
• Flight (Jordan) — re-enactment of Mohammed’s memory of fleeing Syria at age 15.Flight ParticipatoryVR360 Jordan
• The Key (Jordan) — conversation between Jordanians and Syrians about shared identities, house keys, loss, and memories of home. The Key ParticipatoryVR360 Jordan
• Frida (Sweden) — conversation between Syrians and their Swedish friend Frida about several “misunderstandings.”
• Transect Walk: Irbid Souq (Jordan, November 2021) — co-created film. Transect walk Irbid Jordan
• Irbid Refugee Family (Jordan, November 2021) — co-created film. ] Lunch conversation
Visiting Researcher Scholarship / research mobility
• Wessels, J. I. Visiting Researcher Scholarship / research mobility at the Emerging Technology Lab, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, November–December 2024 and November 2025. Funded by the Data Society Programme and the Institute of Urban Research at Malmö University. The laboratory is led by Laureate Professor Sarah Pink.
More information will be available shortly.
Research training, internships and teaching
• Eder, M., Kao, K., Spehar, A., & Schierenbeck, I. (2020). Refugee Incorporation in Turkey: Political and Social Institutions. Master’s internship involving Nilüfer Durukan and Selay Atışlı, February–September 2020. The interns collected material in Turkish and English and prepared response sheets supporting SIPGI research on refugee integration in Turkey.
• Eskång, A. (2021). Discretion in the Swedish Welfare State. BA internship/thesis activity connected to SIPGI, Gothenburg, spring 2021.
• Eskång, A. (2022). MA internship connected to SIPGI and Migration Studies, Copenhagen, autumn 2022. Activities undertaken in Gothenburg included literature reviews and MA thesis work.
• Kao, K. (2020). Localizing Global Migration Governance. Lecture and seminar sessions for Master’s students in the International Administration and Global Governance Programme, University of Gothenburg, 5 and 9 October 2020.
• Kao, K. (2021). Localizing Global Migration Governance. Lecture for Master’s students in the International Administration and Global Governance Programme, University of Gothenburg, 7 October 2021.
• Spehar, A. (2018–2022). Teaching on migration and integration at the University of Gothenburg, including To Live in Europe, Social Europe, Europe in the World, and Europe in Comparative Perspectives.
• Schierenbeck, I. (2018–2022). Teaching on migration and the Middle East at the School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg, including teaching on the kafala system in the Middle East.
• Spehar, A., & Schierenbeck, I. (from 2022). Migration i välfärdsstaten used as course literature in To Live in Europe and Europe in Comparative Perspectives.
Fieldwork
Sweden
• April 2023, 2024 and 2025, Gothenburg. Virtual Reality Experiment at the International Science Festival to test the effects of immersive VR on attitudes and behaviours towards refugees in Sweden.
• 24–31 August 2020, Gothenburg. Fieldwork with Syrian migrants. Wessels interviewed approximately 10 participants about experiences of integration, recorded three second-person narrative stories using VR360 video, and conducted photo-elicitation interviews with participants in the participatory digital ethnography. The material informed subsequent participatory 360° video workshops. Kao participated in parts of the fieldwork and interviews.
• 1–5 July 2020, Gothenburg. Ethnographic fieldwork with Syrians living in the Gothenburg area. Wessels established contact with 10 participants and conducted digital ethnography/participatory photography on everyday experiences of encounters and integration, together with participant observation at three locations in Gothenburg where Syrians meet.
Jordan
• 5–20 October 2025, Irbid. Kao conducted interviews with local residents to inform project papers and monitored implementation of the SIPGI virtual reality experiment.
• 1–22 October 2025, Irbid. Fieldwork by Abu Zueiter for the SIPGI virtual reality experiment. Survey data were collected from 900 respondents in Irbid using the virtual reality experiment survey.
• September–October 2022, Amman and Irbid. Fieldwork for the SIPGI VR experiment included training 16 enumerators, monitoring a 30-participant pilot survey, meetings with survey providers, and interviews with Jordanians and Syrians in Irbid concerning the neighbourhood and identity experiment.
• September 2022, Irbid. Ethnographic production of four 360° videos with Syrian refugees on everyday experiences of life and integration in Jordan; videos used in the Irbid VR experiment. Training of 16 research assistants in use of VR headsets.
• April–June 2022, Irbid. Interviews with local officials, NGO staff working on education and livelihood support, stakeholders, and Syrian refugees.
• Autumn 2021, online. Sixteen interviews with international NGOs in Jordan and Turkey.
• September 2021, Irbid. Field interviews with Syrian refugees.
• 7–24 November 2019, Irbid. Meetings with Jordanian academics and students at Yarmouk University, refugee-focused aid organizations including Mercy Corps and the Norwegian Refugee Council, and survey providers.
Turkey
• December 2023–January 2024, Adana. Large-N face-to-face survey experiment (n = 1,800) using VR technology to test effects on attitudes and behaviours towards refugees in Turkey.
• June 2023, Adana. Interviews on integration with Turkish and Syrian participants.
• Autumn 2022. Interviews with stakeholders at Bogazici University in Adana, Turkey.
• January 2022, Adana. Field interviews with Syrian refugees for the SIPGI survey.
• Autumn 2021, online. Sixteen interviews with international NGOs in Turkey and Jordan.