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2021 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

The 2015 Migrant Crisis as an Identity Crisis for Iceland

Author : Arndís Anna Kristínardóttir Gunnarsdóttir

Published in: Small States and the European Migrant Crisis

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Among small states in Europe, Iceland is unique for its extremely small population, geographical isolation and relatively strong economy. The 2015 migration crisis affected Iceland with a gradually rising number of asylum applications from the year 2012, with a sharp increase in 2016, characterized by a large proportion of applications from the Western Balkans. Despite “the wave” reaching Iceland about a year later, Iceland remained reactive and unprepared in its response. The “crisis” has remained mainly of a political nature as the country has coped relatively well with the administrative, economic and cultural challenges stemming from the increase. Iceland’s main challenges are therefore of a political nature, in balancing the strong human rights culture with an underlying fear of the numbers.

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previous chapter Coping with the Migration Crisis in Small States in the European Union: The Experience of Slovenia

next chapter Small States: “The Gatekeepers” of EU Borders During the Migration Crisis

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Title: The 2015 Migrant Crisis as an Identity Crisis for Iceland
Author: Arndís Anna Kristínardóttir Gunnarsdóttir
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Small States and the European Migrant Crisis
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-66202-8

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-66203-5

Copyright Year: 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66203-5_9

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