Andreas Ette

The Diversity and Equal Opportunity Survey 2024 (DuCS 2024) is a nationwide employee survey conducted in the direct federal administration (unmittelbare Bundesverwaltung), building upon the initial survey from 2019 (DuCS 2019). Carried out in May and June 2024, the online survey engaged 73 out of 104 relevant federal authorities, representing approximately 65% of the employees in the direct federal administration, excluding military personnel. With over 50,000 completed interviews, DuCS 2024 offers a substantial dataset for analyzing the personnel structure and working conditions within the federal administration. The survey investigates migration-related diversity among employees and their professional situations.

Volume 54 - Article 16 | Pages 481–520

This study investigates whether military conflict intensities in refugees’ home regions continue to shape their lives after arrival in a safe haven. While war and local conflict are well-established drivers of initial displacement, it remains unclear whether ongoing conflict influences settlement decision once refugees have escaped the immediate threat. We address this question using longitudinal data from the IAB-BiB/FReDA-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Ukrainian refugees in Germany, linked to high-frequency conflict data from Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion. Our findings show that both short- and long-term conflict intensities significantly affect refugees’ intentions to settle permanently abroad, with short-term shocks exerting a markedly stronger influence. Emotional responses to acute violence appear to disrupt more deliberative planning, consistent with ecological models of refugee distress. In contrast, long-term conflict intensity effects are weaker and diminish with time spent in the host country, suggesting processes of adaptation or habituation. We also find important heterogeneity: male refugees and those migrating for economic or family reasons are particularly sensitive to conflict dynamics, whereas those with family left behind are generally less inclined to settle permanently. Contrary to expectations, prior war exposure does not moderate current settlement intentions, pointing to possible acclimatization or avoidance strategies among highly exposed individuals. Overall, our results highlight the importance of integrating both emotional and evaluative processes into sociological models of refugee decision-making. They also highlight how even after arrival in safety, evolving home-country violence continues to shape refugees’ settlement trajectories.

With around 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees in Germany by summer 2025, the country has become the prima- ry destination for those seeking protection abroad since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. This influx has had far-reaching effects on Germany’s social structure, labour market, and demogra- phic development. Against this background, the panel study of Ukrainian refugees in Germany (BiB/FReDA- Survey) was launched in 2022. The longitudinal survey design allows researchers to study Ukrainian refu- gees within a stable panel – representing a significant advancement in research on flight and migration. The aim of this publication is to examine developments in the living conditions of Ukrainian refugees and their children and adolescents during the first three years following their arrival in Germany. The analysis is based on over 40,000 interviews conducted across six waves since the summer of 2022. More than three years after the arrival of many refugees, this study provides extensive quantitative informa- tion on living conditions and prospects, as well as detailed insights into temporal developments and changes over the course of their stay. The analysis focuses on developments and changes in social structure, family life, participation of children and adolescents, labour market participation, social participation, and further migration behaviour of adults. The findings highlight successful integration, remaining challenges, and measures that can be taken to secure long-term prospects for both refugees and the host society. The results provide robust evidence for societal debates and policy decisions at national, European, and international levels.

Mehr als drei Jahre nach der Ankunft vieler Schutzsuchender liefert die Studie umfangreiche quantitative Informationen zu Lebenslagen und Perspektiven sowie differenzierte Einblicke in zeitliche Entwicklungen und Veränderungen mit zunehmender Aufenthaltsdauer. Im Fokus der Analyse stehen Entwicklungen und Veränderungen in der Sozialstruktur, Familienentwicklung, Teilhabe von Kindern und Jugendlichen, Arbeitsmarktpartizipation, soziale Teilhabe sowie weiteres Wanderungsverhalten Erwachsener.