Patzwaldt, Katja; Ette, Andreas (2025)
Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol. 17(1): 124–141
DOI: 10.5130/ccs.v17.i1.9376
The relationship between researchers and policymakers has never been straightforward when it comes to using the best evidence to solve societal problems. This paper examines this relationship by analysing two major refugee events in Germany: the arrival of MiddleEastern refugees in 2015 and Ukrainian refugees in 2022. Using communication theories, we analyze how policymakers engaged with scientific research and the institutional mechanisms that facilitated or hindered knowledge transfer. Based on policy document analysis and expert interviews, we identify key differences in policy responses across both events. In 2015, scientific evidence was sparse, and policymakers primarily relied on legal perspectives. By contrast, in 2022, a well-developed research infrastructure allowed for a more immediate integration of empirical scientific insights into policy. However, political and institutional selectivity in processing evidence persisted. Our findings highlight the need for closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers and improved mechanisms for translating scientific knowledge into policy.