Expanding the boundaries of hospitality: the relationship between Ukrainian refugees and their hosts

Family members and friends play a crucial role in refugees’ arrival and settlement, including accommodating them in their homes for varying periods. While the migration literature has demonstrated the positive impact of such support for refugees’ well-being, the relationship between the host and guest and the potential challenges of reunion and cohabitation are seldom explored. This study adopts the concept of ‘hospitality’– a notion originally based on welcoming the ‘stranger’–to study the welcoming practices of citizens with their previously acquainted ‘guests.’ Using qualitative methods, the relationships between Ukrainian refugees and their hosting relatives and friends in Israel were explored. Three main relationship dynamics are presented and discussed: (a) hospitality across borders, (b) hosts as service providers and (c) the burdens of hospitality. Altogether, these dynamics were found to challenge the common notion of hospitality, as they uncovered the pivotal role of hosts as advocates beyond the domestic sphere and across borders, as well as the emotional burdens of hospitality in close quarters over time. Finally, the role of the state is discussed regarding the regulations of the host-hosted relations by privatizing its responsibilities and designating hosts as responsible parties.