A large number of Afghans in exile have returned to Afghanistan despite persisting insecurity. They have returned with different degrees of choice, and coercion, from neighbouring countries as well as from distant diaspora communities.

Many returnees from Norway and the United Kingdom have gone back to Afghanistan under assisted return programmes after their legal options for staying in Europe have been exhausted. Governments and cooperating agencies stress that these programmes promote the successful reintegration of returnees. But what is meant by ‘successful’ reintegration?

In this seminar Ceri Oeppen presents findings from her research within the project ‘Possibilities and Realities of Return Migration (PREMIG)’ which is led by PRIO. She has been responsible for the Afghan case study within the project.

Ceri Oeppen is a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Sussex and a Global Fellow at PRIO. She has done research on Afghan migration for more than a decade.