Questionnaire structure and the method of empirical data collection

2. The type of current use (rental, ownership, etc.)?

……….

 'Filter' questions

Example: HD.3 The family’s primary residence in Greece is:

HD.3.1 | Rented -> HD.5

HD.3.2 | Ownership without any financial obligation (loan, mortgage, etc.); -> HD.4

If the respondent answer to the question HD.3 is 'rented', then the questionnaire continues with the question HD.5. In these cases, the arrow (→) indicates the number of the next question.

3.6.2 Questionnaire structure and the method of empirical data collection

This section presents the key indicators on which the questionnaire was constructed and gives special explanations on the questions in each indicator separately.

3.6.2.1 Demographic data

In the first part of the questionnaire we have collected the basic demographic characteristics of the individual and their data on citizenship, legal status and duration of residence in Greece.

2 |__| Sex

3 |__|__|__|__| Year of birth

4 |__| Marital status

5 |__| Educational level (on the process)

6 |__| Educational completed

7 |__|__| Citizenship

8 |__|__| Second Citizenship (if available)

9 |__|__|__|__| When did you first come to Greece?

10 ^|__|__| How many years are you living in Greece?

11 ^|__|__| Residency Status

The answers were completed according to the below codification:

Column 2: Male=1, Female=2

Column 4 Single=1, Married=2, Widowed=3, Divorced or Separated=4

Column 5:None=0, Kindergarten=1, Primary school=2, Middle school (Gymnasio)=3, High School (Lykeion)=4, Technical Vocational Training School (TEE)=5, Vocational Training Institutes=6, Technological Educational Institutes=7, Higher Education Institutes, Military Schools=8, Post-graduate Studies (MSc, ΜΒΑ)=9, Doctoral Studies (PhD)=10

Column 6: Not attending school=1, Not completed primary school=2, Primary School certificate=3, Middle School certificate=4, High School diploma=5, Degree TEL, TES =6, Degree IEK=7, Degree TEI=8, University Degree (Ptychio)=9, Masters’ Degree=10, PhD=11

Columns 7 - 8: Albanian=1, Pakistani=2, Indian=3, Bangladeshi=4, Russian=5, Moldavian=6, Georgian=7, Ukrainian=8, Greek=9, Other=10

Column 11: The Blue Paper Certificate with photograph - Veveosi=1, Dependent Work Residence Permit=2, Residence Permit for Independent Economic Activity=3, Residence Permit for Seasonal Work=4, 10-year Residence Permit=5, Long-term Residence Permit=6, Residence Permit for Family Reunification=7, Parent of Greek Citizen=8, Student Residence Permit=9, Spouse of a Greek Citizen=10.

3.6.2.2 Employment

Despite the fact that in this research study employment is not included as a separate indicator but is rather given the overall structural importance of employment in socio-economic integration, it was considered necessary for the collection of basic key elements of the employment or unemployment of immigrants. Thus, this specific section includes six questions, which are simply restricted to the employment or unemployment status of the immigrants. When immigrants were working we asked them about their employment status (employed, self-employed), the type of employment (permanent, temporary or informal), and their profession in Greece (builders, domestic worker, store workers/vendors). Finally, question EM.6: ‘Do you think that your work position meets your educational level?’, seeks to detect subjectively the employment self-image of the immigrants subjectively

3.6.2.3 Housing

The main purpose of this section is to present the housing conditions of the immigrant in relation to their residence and the wider urban area. Initially the questionnaire tried to record the residence areas of the immigrants during their stay in Greece and then it tried to capture the characteristics of their current residence and the level of satisfaction with their housing conditions. Therefore, this section of the questionnaire that includes 19 questions, gather information on the immigrants’ residency, concerning:

 The primary residence in Greece

 The ownership status of the primary residence

 The main characteristics of the primary residence

 The qualitative characteristics and the housing amenities

 The immigrant’s judgment about the level of satisfaction from the housing conditions

3.6.2.4 The use of the Greek language

This section of the questionnaire includes five questions that are structured in a subjective manner. The main purpose of this section is the recording of immigrants’ judgment regarding the level of use of the Greek language (speaking and writing), the available ways and means for learning the language and the extent of the use of the language in the work area, in public and in the private area.

3.6.2.5 Social interaction

The basic dimensions of this particular index are summarized in the questionnaire in 11 questions that include:

 The frequency of contact with relatives and friends (Greeks and compatriots)

 The frequency of meetings with relatives and friends (Greeks and compatriots)

 Their main friendly interaction (SI.3)

 Their interest in making Greek friends (SI.6)

 If they have experienced racism and discrimination in their interaction with Greeks 3.6.2.6 Social and political participation

This part of the questionnaire includes 17 questions that aim to ascertain the role of immigrants’ political participation in relation to their integration into the Greek society. This survey examines qualitative and quantitative data related to:

 Whether the immigrants knows the basic institutions of the host country (PP.2):

 The institutions of democracy (parliament, government, political parties, etc)

 The state’s institutions (public services, courts, independent institutions, etc)

 The civil society (associations, NGOs, etc.)

 Whether they believe to the existence institutions that discriminate them (PP.4)

 Their level of confidence in the institutions and in the governmental and non-governmental organizations in Greece (PP.5)

 Whether immigrants participate to:

 Civil society’s organizations – cultural organizations, unions, associations and other social activities (PP.12)

 Political action through alternative mechanisms – parties initiatives or initiatives of other political actors (PP.6)

 Institutional bodies – such as trade unions and professional organizations (PP. 8)

 Local authorities through local initiatives (PP.6)

 Evaluation of the participatory experience (PP.7, 9, 12)

 Regarding the political communication, the questions recorded:

1. The extent to which the respondents were interested in having information on social, political, cultural and artistic matters (PP.13)

2. The level to which they use Greek and ethnic mass media (PP.15)

3.6.2.7 General self-evaluation questions

The purpose of this section is to record through eight scaled questions the factors that cause the most significant problems with respect to immigrants’ socio-economic integration. These factors are listed as follows:

GQ.2.1 Legislation

GQ.2.2 Public Services Behaviour GQ.2.3 Language

GQ.2.4 The habits and lifestyle of Greek society GQ.2.5 Racist behaviour

GQ.2.6 Employment

GQ.2.7 Social security/Insurance GQ.2.8 Other

3.6.2.8 Racism and discrimination

This specific index is not contained separately in the questionnaire, but is contained in all of the separate indicators. More specifically, in the housing section, the question is: HD.19 During the last five years (or since you came to Greece) have you ever faced a problem in renting or purchasing an apartment because of your ethnic origin?

In the social interaction section, the question is: SI.10. How often have you been treated unfairly or offensively because of your ethnic origin? In the social and political participation section the question is: PP.3 Do you believe to the existence of institutions that discriminate immigrants? Finally, in the section of the general self-evaluation questions, the immigrants were asked whether they consider that racist behaviour (GQ.2.5) is a barrier to their socio-economic integration.