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Εφαρμοσμένα Γεωγραφικά Συστήματα Πληροφοριών στο Χωρικό Σχεδιασμό Μεταναστευτικής Πολιτικής: Μια Πολυκριτηριακή Ανάλυση για τη Χωροθέτηση Ανοιχτών Δομών Φιλοξενίας Προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα

Εφαρμοσμένα Γεωγραφικά Συστήματα Πληροφοριών στο Χωρικό Σχεδιασμό Μεταναστευτικής Πολιτικής: Μια Πολυκριτηριακή Ανάλυση για τη Χωροθέτηση Ανοιχτών Δομών Φιλοξενίας Προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα
Εφαρμοσμένα Γεωγραφικά Συστήματα Πληροφοριών στο Χωρικό Σχεδιασμό Μεταναστευτικής Πολιτικής: Μια Πολυκριτηριακή Ανάλυση για τη Χωροθέτηση Ανοιχτών Δομών Φιλοξενίας Προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα
Background: Greece has been one of the main gateways for the entrance and reception of refugees and immigrants from the wider geographic region of the Middle East and North Africa over the last five years, in their quest to escape war conflicts and due to various other reasons. In order to deal with this migration and refugee crisis, a number of Temporary Accommodation Facilities (Refugee Camps) and Reception and Identification Centers has been constructed within territory of Greece and other European and neighbor countries. However, the temporary and emergent nature of these facilities may often lead to their construction within inappropriate areas.

Purpose: This Bachelor thesis aims to provide a multi-criteria methodological framework as a tool for spatial planning of immigration policy.

Methodology: The presentation and clarification of the basic conceptual terms, was followed by the listing of the relevant statistical data and the migration legislation. Then, a literature
review was carried out, that resulted in 6 research articles, 1 study and 2 textbooks and led to the listing of twenty-three (23) spatial criteria of a) social, b) infrastructure and c) geographic
components. In addition to the criteria proposed in the literature, this thesis proposes the division of the criterion “proximity to the local population” into two new distinct criteria as
follows: (a) “proximity to the middle range populated urban concentrations” and (b) “distance from small and very large populated urban concentrations”. In order to investigate the
suitability of areas for the location of a Refugee Accommodation Facility in Greece, extensive use of Geographical Information Systems was carried out, in combination with a multi-criteria analysis of the classified criteria, in accordance with the literature and existing legislation.

Results: The results are summarized into the spatial suitability map showing that the 6,267.65 km2 of the Greek territory are suitable for the siting of such a facility, while the 125.761,34 km2 are not. The Region of Piraeus had the highest average score, the largest suitable area was located at the Evros’ Region and the highest perceived value at the Region of Messinia.
Moreover, the largest area containing high values was found at the Region of Ilia, where already exists a Refugee Accommodation Facility. However, only 9 out of the 36 Accommodation Facilities and Reception and Identification Centers that currently exist have been found within or close to the suitable areas.

Conclusions: The overwhelming majority of the Refugee Accommodation Facilities and Reception and Identification Centers that currently exist have been placed in inappropriate
areas of the Greek territory. That indicates a lack of planning, which may have multiple effects on the population (native and foreign). The application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to the spatial planning of immigration policy is essential so as the appropriate placement of open hosting structures to be feasible.
Zenodo
Tsakiridi, Anastasia
2dc43246-9ab7-4f96-babc-6056d8b327c7
Tsakiridi, Anastasia
2dc43246-9ab7-4f96-babc-6056d8b327c7

Tsakiridi, Anastasia (2019) Εφαρμοσμένα Γεωγραφικά Συστήματα Πληροφοριών στο Χωρικό Σχεδιασμό Μεταναστευτικής Πολιτικής: Μια Πολυκριτηριακή Ανάλυση για τη Χωροθέτηση Ανοιχτών Δομών Φιλοξενίας Προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα. Doctoral Thesis, 120pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Background: Greece has been one of the main gateways for the entrance and reception of refugees and immigrants from the wider geographic region of the Middle East and North Africa over the last five years, in their quest to escape war conflicts and due to various other reasons. In order to deal with this migration and refugee crisis, a number of Temporary Accommodation Facilities (Refugee Camps) and Reception and Identification Centers has been constructed within territory of Greece and other European and neighbor countries. However, the temporary and emergent nature of these facilities may often lead to their construction within inappropriate areas.

Purpose: This Bachelor thesis aims to provide a multi-criteria methodological framework as a tool for spatial planning of immigration policy.

Methodology: The presentation and clarification of the basic conceptual terms, was followed by the listing of the relevant statistical data and the migration legislation. Then, a literature
review was carried out, that resulted in 6 research articles, 1 study and 2 textbooks and led to the listing of twenty-three (23) spatial criteria of a) social, b) infrastructure and c) geographic
components. In addition to the criteria proposed in the literature, this thesis proposes the division of the criterion “proximity to the local population” into two new distinct criteria as
follows: (a) “proximity to the middle range populated urban concentrations” and (b) “distance from small and very large populated urban concentrations”. In order to investigate the
suitability of areas for the location of a Refugee Accommodation Facility in Greece, extensive use of Geographical Information Systems was carried out, in combination with a multi-criteria analysis of the classified criteria, in accordance with the literature and existing legislation.

Results: The results are summarized into the spatial suitability map showing that the 6,267.65 km2 of the Greek territory are suitable for the siting of such a facility, while the 125.761,34 km2 are not. The Region of Piraeus had the highest average score, the largest suitable area was located at the Evros’ Region and the highest perceived value at the Region of Messinia.
Moreover, the largest area containing high values was found at the Region of Ilia, where already exists a Refugee Accommodation Facility. However, only 9 out of the 36 Accommodation Facilities and Reception and Identification Centers that currently exist have been found within or close to the suitable areas.

Conclusions: The overwhelming majority of the Refugee Accommodation Facilities and Reception and Identification Centers that currently exist have been placed in inappropriate
areas of the Greek territory. That indicates a lack of planning, which may have multiple effects on the population (native and foreign). The application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to the spatial planning of immigration policy is essential so as the appropriate placement of open hosting structures to be feasible.

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More information

Published date: 9 July 2019
Alternative titles: Applied geographic information systems in spatial planning of migration policy: a multi criteria analysis for the optimal placement of open refugee accommodation facilities in Greece

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 496215
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/496215
PURE UUID: 1272dbeb-6be5-459b-9b4a-436ae2610a78
ORCID for Anastasia Tsakiridi: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8465-317X

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Date deposited: 09 Dec 2024 17:31
Last modified: 14 Dec 2024 03:14

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Author: Anastasia Tsakiridi ORCID iD

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