RT Journal Article
T1 Racial and Ethnic Inequalities, Health Disparities and Racism in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic Populism in the EU: Unveiling Anti-Migrant Attitudes, Precarious Living Conditions and Barriers to Integration in Greece
A1 Fouskas, Theodoros
A1 Koulierakis, George
A1 Mine, Fotini-Maria
A1 Theofilopoulos, Athanasios
A1 Konstantopoulou, Sofia
A1 Ortega de Mora, Fabiola
A1 Georgiadis, Dimitrios
A1 Pantazi, Georgia
K1 Racial and ethnic inequalities
K1 Precarity
K1 Health disparities
K1 Racism
K1 COVID-19
K1 Populism
K1 Anti-immigrant
K1 Migrants
K1 Asylum seekers
K1 Refugees
K1 Integration
K1 Greece
AB The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact particularly on the most vulnerable populations, including immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the EU. The article depicts the results of the comparative research project “Local Alliance for Integration (LION/GSRI/University of West Attica/81018): Migrant and Refugee integration into local societies in times of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain and Greece” implementing a qualitative methodology. This article analyses via 32 in-depth interviews the experiences of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Greece, the increased barriers towards integration due to racial and ethnic inequalities, precarity and health disparities during this period which function as a means of perpetuating exclusion in five sectors: (a) formal employment, (b) healthcare, (c) formal education and language training, (d) housing and social care/protection, and (e) intercultural coexistence as well as the new rise of a hostile rhetoric and anti-migrant attitudes under a COVID-19 pandemic populism. The unravelling of the narratives revealed perceptions and practices of inequality and uncertainty as well as of hope. The socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees, similarities and differences that occurred and evidence of the ongoing obstacles they encountered during the pandemic are presented. Policy and practice implications include the implementation of prevention measures by the institutions that are tasked with the responsibility to remove hindrances, address unequal treatment, racial/ethnic and social inequalities and raise awareness on multiple ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified vulnerability.
PB MDPI
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/26295
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/26295
LA en
NO Societies 2022, 12, 189
NO DEPARTAMENTO DE EDUCACION Y PSICOLOGIA SOCIAL
DS RIO
RD May 8, 2026