We are very happy to share the publication of the paper: Hierarchies of Statelessness in Germany.
The paper examines how the category of “undetermined nationality” creates a hierarchy within statelessness in Germany.
Many stateless people already know this from their own experience. Not everyone who is stateless is treated in the same way.
In Germany, some people are officially recognised as stateless, while others are classified as having an “undetermined nationality”. Although this may appear to be a technical distinction, it often results in very different levels of access to rights, protection and long term stability. For many people, this uncertainty also affects their sense of security, belonging and mental wellbeing.
Based on eight in depth interviews with people with lived experience of statelessness in Germany, the paper explores how legal categories and administrative practices can shape everyday life and wellbeing.
At its core, the publication argues that statelessness is not simply a legal status. It is shaped and produced through laws, procedures and bureaucratic systems.
The paper was developed through the Statefree Fellowship between 2023 and 2025.
We would like to thank our Fellows Aleksandra Semeriak, Wala' Maaitah and Kauther Alhusainy for their expertise, openness and insights. Our thanks also go to Research Lead Margarida Farinha and Research Assistants Samira Eissa and Julika Likus for their careful and committed work.
You can read the full publication here.
This work was co-funded by the European Union through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and supported by the Hans Sauer Stiftung and the Robert Bosch Stiftung. We are grateful for their trust and support.
