Entrepreneurship is often seen as an important path to inclusion for refugees, including by refugees themselves. Khademi: ‘It’s not just about earning a living, it’s also about playing an active role in society and changing how you’re perceived by society. Many of the entrepreneurs with a refugee background whom I spoke to told me that, once they became an entrepreneur, they felt more accepted, like they were treated differently by the rest of Dutch society.’ For her research, the sociologist spoke to 29 entrepreneurs with refugee backgrounds. 14 of them were Iranian refugees who arrived prior to 2000, the others were Syrians who arrived after 2015.
Integration paradox
The Iranian refugee entrepreneurs, who are generally considered well-integrated in Dutch society, often reported feeling less at home than Syrian refugees, even though the Syrians arrived more recently. Khademi: ‘This is often referred to as the “integration paradox”: the more refugees integrate, such as through education and work, or learning the language, the more they feel excluded. Despite the steps they’ve taken to be part of Dutch society, they face more perceived discrimination, so they feel like they are unable to fully be included in Dutch society as a Dutch person. This leads to a lesser sense of belonging to the Netherlands.’
‘However, the Syrian entrepreneurs had a different experience. They were still in the early stages of integration when I spoke to them, but they were quite optimistic. They compared their situation in the Netherlands with that of Syrians in other host countries, and saw the Netherlands as a place of opportunity, where there were various possibilities, for example, becoming Dutch citizens and enjoying the same rights as Dutch nationals. This, they noted, is not an option in all countries hosting Syrian refugees, regardless of whether they are entrepreneurs or not.’
One-size-fits-all as an obstacle
Khademi cites a number of obstacles that can slow down refugee entrepreneurship and, consequently, lead to a reduced sense of inclusion. ‘For example, the level of support offered to refugees can vary wildly from municipality to municipality. There are often more opportunities in larger cities compared to small towns, while refugees usually don’t have a say on what town they end up in. Having a better, national support system in areas such as these can really help.’
Often, entrepreneurial support is predicated on a one-size-fits-all approach that considers the needs of all refugees the same. ‘Refugees are not a homogeneous group. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences must be taken into account. Factors such as age, gender, education, ethnicity, and religion shape the characteristics and needs of each individual. A younger, unmarried male refugee faces very different challenges than an older married female refugee, and they might have very different problems getting involved in the job market.’
‘By addressing these differences between immigrants, you could better support them and make a big difference in finding them a job or getting them help to start a company that fits better with the expertise and history they had in their country of origin’, explains Khademi. ‘Inclusion is about more than simply having access. It’s about recognition and belonging. If we want refugee entrepreneurship to succeed, we need to support it in ways that reflect the realities of people’s lives.’