Journal of Refugee Studies - current issue

Theoretical Perspectives on Post-Migration Adaptation and Psychological Well-Being among Refugees: Towards a Resource-Based Model

Ryan, D., Dooley, B., Benson, C. — 2008-02-22

Research on the psychological well-being of refugees has focused on deficiencies within individuals either in terms of psychiatric symptoms or feelings of distress. To achieve a more holistic view of the life experiences of refugees, we need to look at the limitations of our current theoretical models. This article critically examines some of the major theoretical approaches that have guided research on the psychological well-being of refugees: the medical model, the psychosocial stress model and Berry's (1997) ‘acculturation framework’. It goes on to examine Hobfoll's (2001) Conservation of Resources stress theory, a model which has important implications for refugee research. Drawing upon the models reviewed, the last section outlines a conceptual framework for adaptation among refugees. At the heart of it lies the concept of resources. However, resources must be understood in terms of the individual's needs, personal goals and the demands he or she encounters. Each of these concepts must be examined in the context of the pre-migration, flight and post-migration phases. The additional concept of constraints on the use of or access to resources is particularly relevant to the post-migration phase. Such a conceptual toolkit could prove especially useful in going beyond quantitative data to present the human stories of refugees. It could also sensitize researchers to the impact of host societies on the well-being of refugees.

EU-Libya Cooperation on Migration: A Raw Deal for Refugees and Migrants?

Hamood, S. — 2008-02-22

Libya's emergence as a key jumping-off point for entry into Europe by sea has created a sense of urgency within the EU, which seeks to prevent arrivals from this new point of departure, and has led to the initiation of EU–Libya cooperation on migration. This article argues that the EU is failing to adopt an integrated approach to migration management in Libya, despite its repeated assurances to the contrary. It examines EU–Libya cooperation, still in its early stages, and analyses the experiences of refugees and migrants in Libya and on their journeys to Europe. Both elements strongly indicate that the current approach, which focuses on border control and surveillance, is likely to meet with limited success in achieving the EU's aims of stemming the flow of irregular migrants arriving from Libya in Italy and Malta, protecting the human rights of those in transit and ensuring humanitarian outcomes for them.

Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Not All Refugees, Not Always in Pakistan, Not Necessarily Afghan?

Kronenfeld, D. A. — 2008-02-22

In 2001, there were estimated to be two million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. In the past six years, however, over 3.5 million refugees have returned, and recent census data show that nearly 2.5 million still remain in Pakistan. Three straightforward explanations for this monumental discrepancy have been posited: Afghans’ high birthrates, their history of cross-border migration, and increasing levels of urbanization in Pakistan. Yet the fact that none of these processes comes as a surprise to researchers familiar with the history of Afghan refugees begs a still deeper question: how and why were these processes so utterly overlooked in 2001? The answer, it is argued, is a fundamental confusion not only in how we count refugees but in how we conceptualize them. The dichotomous distinction between refugees and non-refugees, while possessing a certain legal clarity, does a poor job of describing the reality of individuals whose movements are influenced by numerous social, political, and economic factors.

Dislocated Masculinity: Adolescence and the Palestinian Nation-in-exile

Hart, J. — 2008-02-22

Taking as its starting-point emerging discussion about gender and nationalism, this article considers the masculinities constructed by and for adolescent males born into a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan. I consider the relationship of these masculinities to the construction of the camp as a moral and socio-political space. Through the employment of ethnographic material, the article demonstrates the ways in which young males—through the performance of a particular, dominant vision of masculinity termed mukhayyamji—serve to reproduce the camp as authentic location of an exilic national community. The article also examines the implications for individual young men of this interplay between masculine performance and the reproduction of the camp as a moral and socio-political space. It explores the consequences both for those who fail or choose not to uphold the idealized, mukhayyamji adolescent masculinity and for those who evince the skills and qualities that this entails. It is argued that, while the former risk marginalization from the camp as a moral and socio-political community, the latter face marginalization from the economic life of wider Jordanian society and, with that, endanger the transition to social adulthood. Thus, a set of paradoxes emerges for young males that reflects the ambiguous position of the Palestinian refugees in Jordan at a specific moment in the history of Jordan and the Palestinian national struggle.

Involuntary Resettlement as an Opportunity for Development: The Case of Urban Resettlers of the Three Gorges Project, China

Mcdonald, B., Webber, M., Yuefang, D. — 2008-02-22

The restoration of livelihoods in the event of involuntary resettlement is commonly based on providing compensation to those who are displaced. This policy has led to a series of horror stories. For this reason, it is proposed that by conducting resettlement as a development project in its own right, the performance of resettlements can be improved and the benefits will accrue to the local population. The Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River is the first project in China in which the policy of resettlement with development was translated into practice. This paper uses the results of a survey of urban resettlers in two counties to demonstrate that development policies have been unevenly applied across the Three Gorges Region and that in some counties the policies have had some success in maintaining and raising the incomes of resettlers.

Mediated Communication with Minors in Asylum-seeking Hearings

Keselman, O., Cederborg, A.-C., Lamb, M. E., Dahlstrom, O. — 2008-02-22

This study evaluated caseworkers’ information-seeking prompts in interviews with asylum-seeking minors and assesses the accuracy of the translations provided by interpreters. Twenty six Russian-speaking minors were individually interviewed by one of 10 caseworkers assisted by one of 17 interpreters. A quantitative analysis examined the type of questions asked and the accuracy of the corresponding renditions. The actual and translated content of the messages were examined using a qualitative analysis. The study showed that interviewers relied heavily on focused questions, which are more likely to elicit inaccurate information. When open questions were asked, the interviewers tended to ask narrow ‘directive’ questions rather than broader ‘invitations’. The interpreters’ renditions of utterances were often inaccurate. Almost half of the misrepresentations altered the content and one third involved changes in the type of question asked. This indicates that both interviewers and translators clearly need special training to ensure that they serve asylum-seeking minors adequately.

Giving Silence a Chance: The Importance of Life Stories for Research on Refugees

Ghorashi, H. — 2008-02-22

In order to capture refugees’ experiences and narratives it is necessary to create space within research to be able to notice the untold within the interviews. This article focuses on the ways that Iranian women refugees (in the Netherlands and the United States) narrate their experiences of the past and the present or stay silent when the experiences are too difficult to talk about. Including the moments of silence within the process of analysing the stories has helped the researcher to discover different layers within the interviews. The main argument of this article is that the combination of the life stories method and the comparative nature of the research have especially helped to find out about the different ways in which the past is positioned within the present narratives. The life stories in particular have created the necessary space to listen to the often untold stories of refugees. This has enabled the researcher to go beyond the expressed words in order to understand different layers of expression within the narratives.

Remembering Refugees: Then and Now. By Tony Kushner.

Marfleet, P. — 2008-02-22

Care Full: Medico-legal Reports and the Istanbul Protocol in Asylum Procedures. Edited by Rene Bruin, Marcelle Reneman, Evert Bloemen.

van Willigen, L. — 2008-02-22

Future Seekers II: Refugees and Irregular Migration in Australia. By Mary Crock, Ben Saul and Azadeh Dastyari.

White, P. — 2008-02-22

Claiming Ownership in Postwar Croatia: The Dynamics of Property Relations and Ethnic Conflict in the Knin Region. By Carolin Leutloff-Grandits.

Philpott, C. — 2008-02-22

Gender, Conflict and Migration. Edited by Navnita Chadha Behera.

Mayblin, L. — 2008-02-22

Fear of Persecution: Global Human Rights, International Law, and Human Well-Being. Edited by James D. White and Anthony J. Marsella.

Durana, J. — 2008-02-22

Migrants forces ethiopiens et erythreens en Egypte et au Soudan: passagers d'un monde a l'autre. By Fabienne Le Houerou.

Anteby-Yemini, L. — 2008-02-22

Conflict and the Refugee Experience: Flight, Exile and Repatriation in the Horn of Africa. By Assefaw Bariagaber.

Hammond, L. — 2008-02-22