REFUGEE PROTECTION IN THE UNITED STATES AND POLAND. COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON POLICY SHAPING AND DELIVERY

Welfare states in Europe and across the Atlantic introduced various social policies aiming at integrating refugees or facilitating their self-sufficiency. Since the beginning of 2015 when the so called “refugee crisis” started in Europe and anti-refugee rhetoric appeared in public discourse, these policies became jeopardized. Surprisingly, only a handful of studies provide evidence on how these policies operate amidst the current political conditions. Even fewer deliver comparative evidence from different countries. This article aims to address this gap using qualitative comparative case study design and interpretative policy analysis. It answers how asylum and social policies have been shaped and delivered in countries as different as the United States and Poland, including the context of the 2015 and 2016 political shifts. This article argues that despite being shaped and delivered differently, some of the current framing and shaping of the policies are similar and can have parallel outcomes for refugee communities and organizations assisting them. Chances for upward mobility for refugees can decrease and income and social inequalities may deepen.