Journal of Refugee Studies - recent issues

Global Civil War: The Non-Insured, International Containment and Post-Interventionary Society

Duffield, M. — 2008-05-29

The focus of this paper is a global civil war being fought not between armies but at the level of existence itself. In order to explore such a war, development and underdevelopment are reinterpreted as a distinction between insured and non-insured life. That is, between populations supported by regimes of social protection as opposed to those expected to be self-reliant. While the complementarity of development and security is commonly asserted, from this perspective the nexus is incomplete without the additional term ‘containment’. The connection then becomes: you cannot have either development or security without containing the circulation of underdeveloped or non-insured life. Since decolonization, containment has been at the heart of an expansive international security architecture that both separates and reproduces the life-chance divide between the developed and underdeveloped worlds. The paper explores the origins, contours and implications of this global civil war, including the place of development and humanitarian assistance within it.

Understanding Integration: A Conceptual Framework

Ager, A., Strang, A. — 2008-05-29

Integration has become both a key policy objective related to the resettlement of refugees and other migrants, and a matter of significant public discussion. Coherent policy development and productive public debate are, however, both threatened by the fact that the concept of integration is used with widely differing meanings. Based on review of attempted definitions of the term, related literature and primary fieldwork in settings of refugee settlement in the UK, the paper identifies elements central to perceptions of what constitutes ‘successful’ integration. Key domains of integration are proposed related to four overall themes: achievement and access across the sectors of employment, housing, education and health; assumptions and practice regarding citizenship and rights; processes of social connection within and between groups within the community; and structural barriers to such connection related to language, culture and the local environment. A framework linking these domains is presented as a tool to foster debate and definition regarding normative conceptions of integration in resettlement settings.

Subversion or Reinvention? Dilemmas and Debates in the Context of UNHCR's Increasing Involvement with IDPs

Lanz, D. — 2008-05-29

The Statute of 1950 deliberately excludes persons who have not crossed an international border from UNHCR's competence and yet, nearly half the people assisted by UNHCR today are internally displaced. This important evolution rests in part on the restrictive and impractical nature of UNHCR's original Statute, which necessitated a mandate extension. Additionally, UNHCR's reorientation is a product of underlying post-Cold War political and international sociological factors, in particular the emergence of international humanitarianism, the erosion of the principle of absolute sovereignty, the emergence of ‘new wars’, and asylum fatigue. Undoubtedly, UNHCR's involvement with IDPs is contentious. Critics claim that it lacks a legal basis and that it ultimately undermines the institution of asylum. Proponents highlight that in many of today's complex emergencies it is impossible to distinguish between people who have crossed an international border and those who have not. In this context, UNHCR should act pragmatically based on humanitarian necessity, as opposed to rigid normative criteria.

A Reasonable, Practical and Moderate Humanitarianism: The Co-option of Humanitarianism in the Australian Asylum Seeker Debates

Every, D. — 2008-05-29

Critiques of humanitarianism have highlighted its conceptual ambiguity and its usefulness in justifying the exclusion, rather than inclusion, of refugees and asylum seekers. This facility for co-option can be traced to the tension between the opposing considerations of ‘costs to self’ versus ‘duty to others’ in liberal definitions of humanitarianism, and to the liberal binaries of reason versus emotion, moderation versus excess, and pragmatism versus idealism. Using discourse analysis, this paper explores how these binaries framed Australian political debates over asylum seeking, providing persuasive discursive resources for limiting humanitarian responsibilities for asylum seekers. The analysis demonstrates that the consideration of ‘costs to self’ is so flexible that these costs can be presented in such a way as to deny any humanitarian responsibility whatsoever. However, this paper also suggests that asylum seeker advocates’ arguments may be strengthened by drawing upon these same frameworks of reason, moderation and practicality.

Linkages between Livelihood Opportunities and Refugee-Host Relations: Learning from the Experiences of Liberian Camp-based Refugees in Ghana

Porter, G., Hampshire, K., Kyei, P., Adjaloo, M., Rapoo, G., Kilpatrick, K. — 2008-05-29

This paper combines recent livelihoods approaches to refugee studies with a social resilience framework to explore the interlinkages between refugee–host relations and refugee coping strategies in the Buduburam camp in Ghana. The reported experiences of camp residents and of the people with whom they interact in their efforts to make a living (NGO staff, government officials, traders etc.) illustrate the complex interplay between personal networks, livelihoods and broader relations between refugee and host populations. We draw particular attention to language skills, diaspora linkages and the impact of illicit and/or innovative livelihood strategies of refugees. Despite the enormous emphasis refugees in the camp place on earning their own living, some groups are less able or less willing than others to build the social networks to the host population that might allow them access to regular employment. Other factors, including the massive size of the camp population, the deep poverty of Gomoa district where the camp is situated, and the mismatch between the urban character of the majority of the refugee population and local (agricultural) labour demand, contribute to less than optimal relations with the host population.

No Refuge: The Crisis of Refugee Militarization in Africa. Edited by Robert Muggah.

Schmidt, A. — 2008-05-29

Population Resettlement in International Conflicts: A Comparative Study. Edited by Arie M. Kacowicz and Pawel Lutomski.

Skran, C. M. — 2008-05-29

The Future for Palestinian Refugees: Toward Equity and Peace. By Michael Dumper.

Bradley, M. — 2008-05-29

Married to Another Man: Israel's Dilemma in Palestine. By Ghada Karmi.

Abu-Zahra, N. L. — 2008-05-29

A World Turned Upside Down: Social Ecological Approaches to Children in War Zones. Edited by Neil Boothby, Alison Strang and Michael Wessells.

Loughry, M. — 2008-05-29

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

Place and Afghan Refugees: A Contribution to Turton

Novak, P. — 2007-12-03

This article contributes to the discussion on place/space/identity recently re-opened by David Turton, who introduces the notion of ‘place-making project’ to describe the relation between a group of Ethiopian agro-pastoralists and place. This article aims to expand Turton's framework to situations other than the one he depicts, as well as to develop some of the concepts presented therein. With reference to Afghans in Pakistan, the following arguments are made. First, a vast array of overlapping place-making projects simultaneously encompass territory and individuals, attributing a different significance to them on the basis of peculiar logics. Second, the interaction between such projects has material effects on spatial and institutional practices of migration and assistance. Third, these material effects have different significance for refugees, since each of them is differently encompassed by such projects. The article concludes by highlighting how such a framework can be used to assess power relations and challenge de-politicized narratives of refugee protection and assistance.

Refugee Return Migration: Return Migration from Sweden to Chile, Iran and Poland 1973 1996

Klinthall, M. — 2007-12-03

In this paper, return migration from Sweden to three sources of refugee immigration is analysed, with a focus on the effect of political change in 1990. Chilean immigrants reacted more strongly to political liberalization in the home country than Polish immigrants did, primarily due to more favourable economic circumstances in Chile compared to Poland in the 1990s. In fact, the increase in Polish return migration propensity after 1990 is not statistically different from the Iranian increase, in spite of the absence of political liberalization in Iran. There are significant cohort differences within the Chilean group, indicating an element of economically motivated migration within the last waves of Chilean refugee immigration in the late 1980s. Hence, successful implementation of schemes of voluntary return migration for refugees will not only be dependent on an improved political situation in the source country, but will also be highly dependent on economic circumstances.

Self-settled Refugees in Uganda: An Alternative Approach to Displacement?

Hovil, L. — 2007-12-03

This paper investigates the complex security and economic dynamics that influence the lives and opportunities of self-settled refugees living in Uganda. It focuses on the opportunities and problems faced by self-settled refugees, and questions the assumption that Uganda's current local settlement policy is best suited to the country's social, economic and political realities. It suggests that far from being passive victims, self-settled refugees are taking control of their lives without any additional external assistance and are planning for the day they can return to their homeland. Consequently, the paper argues that there is reason to believe that local integration is likely to succeed where other models have failed.

Determinants of the Psychosocial Adjustment of Southern Sudanese Men

Stoll, K., Johnson, P. — 2007-12-03

Our study examines the psychosocial adjustment of 164 Southern Sudanese men who are resettling in a western Canadian city. Special emphasis is placed on the role of financial and emotional strain associated with their sending money to relatives in Africa. Key findings point to the importance of religiosity in predicting their psychological adjustment, and social support and reduced financial role strain in predicting their social adjustment. Findings serve to guide the provision of culturally appropriate services and policies for African immigrants and refugee claimants in Canada.

Coping with Life in Rebel Captivity and the Challenge of Reintegrating Formerly Abducted Boys in Northern Uganda

Amone-P'Olak, K. — 2007-12-03

In this qualitative study of 134 formerly abducted adolescent boys at four rehabilitation centres in Northern Uganda, the boys described their lives in rebel captivity and coping strategies and suggested ways of reintegration. They witnessed, endured and participated in hideous atrocities while in rebel captivity. Vigilance, absolute obedience, and cooperation with their captors; prayer and hope; denial, blaming others, constant preparedness to flee; use of traditional medicine; and resilience and perseverance, were some of the coping strategies they employed while in captivity and during escape. Once out of captivity, they suggested a reintegration agenda sensitive to their economic wellbeing and social relations in the context of their culture and tradition. They proposed psychosocial activities, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training, provision of credit facilities, and an education system that recognizes their background and needs. However, all these should be viewed in the context of huge resource limitations and the continuing conflict.

Refugees and the Reparations Movement: Reflections on Some Recent Literature

Bradley, M. — 2007-12-03

Transnational Nomads: How Somalis Cope with Refugee Life in the Dadaab Camps of Kenya. By Cindy Horst.

Hammond, L. — 2007-12-03

Sword and Salve: Confronting New Wars and Humanitarian Crises. By Peter J. Hoffman and Thomas G. Weiss.

Landau, L. B. — 2007-12-03

Refugees and State Crime. By Sharon Pickering.

Marfleet, P. — 2007-12-03

Doing Research with Refugees: Issues and Guidelines. Edited by Bogusia Temple and Rhetta Moran.

Horst, C. — 2007-12-03

JRS Reviewers

2007-12-03