Progressive legal frameworks and social validation: Negotiating sustainable refugee integration

Uganda’s refugee policies are widely recognized as among the most progressive in the world, granting refugees rights to work, move freely, and access services. Yet, the lived experience of integration reveals a persistent gap between legal entitlement and social acceptance. This article examines how institutional frameworks and host community perceptions jointly shape refugee belonging. While laws provide formal inclusion, integration ultimately depends on social validation, trust, and recognition within host societies. Using Uganda as a case, the study highlights how progressive legal frameworks alone cannot secure legitimacy if host narratives remain skeptical or exclusionary. The analysis advances a conceptual reframing of refugee integration, positioning it as a negotiated process between institutional guarantees and community acceptance. By foregrounding the interplay of law and social validation, the article contributes to theory building on refugee belonging and offers insights for policymakers seeking durable solutions to displacement.