New center helps Ukraine projects with immediate funding

The first project supported will examine the psychological, social, cultural and legal aspects of mental health and integration concerning some of the approx. 100,000 Ukrainians expected to flee to Denmark. The project is led by Karen-Inge Karstoft, associate professor at the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

"The current situation is just one example of a broader migration pattern: War, economic inequality and climate change will continue to increase the flow of individuals from destabilized world regions to more stable Western liberal democracies," the research team wrote in the application.

"People who move in large numbers across cultural contexts pose a significant societal challenge - especially when those who move bring traumatic experiences with them."

Great practical challenges

‘Where are we going to build, when are we going to be accommodated?’, is the title of the second project, which receives immediate funding from the Crown Princess Mary Center. Here, a research team led by Zachary Whyte, associate professor at the SAXO Institute at the Faculty of Humanities, will examine the municipalities' major, practical challenges with the housing of Ukrainian refugees.

"The preliminary political solutions provide the possibility of private accommodation, accommodation in defunct buildings, temporary buildings, and in some cases in vulnerable residential areas and in so-called prevention areas - but it is a dynamic situation and the framework conditions can change in a short time,” emphasizes the researchers.

"At the same time, access to local workplaces for adults as well as educational institutions for the children must be ensured, taking into account other citizens and former refugee groups," they continue.

Crown Princess Mary Center will be a partner in the projects and i.a. provide assistance with identifying potential partners, communicating and hosting certain activities and meetings as needed.

Fast, visible results

In April, researchers at the Humanities, Law, Theology and Social Sciences were invited to apply for funding for smaller projects with a focus on topicality and societal relevance. The Crown Princess Mary Center has particularly wanted to promote the rapid launch of projects focusing on war-torn Ukraine, from which millions of people have fled into Europe since Russia's invasion began.

“We want to support concrete research activities that can deliver visible results within six months. The hope is to contribute to research and knowledge that addresses current societal issues reaching a broad and relevant audience. And right now it is urgent to bring research insights to the work of helping refugees from Ukraine,” explains Simon Kjær Hansen, center manager at Crown Princess Mary Center.