The RRN Research Digest provides a synopsis of recent research on refugee and forced migration issues from entities associated with the RRN and others.
You can download the digest in PDF format here: RRN Research Digest
NEW RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS
Min Wha Han, Eun-Jeong Han & JongHwa Lee. (2024). Displacement, mobility, and diversity in Korea: Diaspora within homeland. Routledge. This book examines the transformation and the dynamic reconfiguration of borders within Korea through inter/trans-disciplinary approaches. It offers a comprehensive synthesis for the changing geo-political, cultural, and economic dynamics among Korea’s diasporas by applying the theme of “diasporas within homeland” as a theoretical lens. While diaspora remains a central theoretical perspective (often highlighting “out of home” experiences), the volume turns its gaze inward, “within homeland,” to trace internal displacement, mobility, and diversity in Korea. In addition, this volume brings diverse scholarly traditions that bridge the diaspora with a wide range of theoretical lenses and methodological approaches, such as intercultural sensitivity and adaptation, acculturation, ideology critique, alienation, national memory, and postcolonialism. The book further explores the possibilities of coalition-building between/among diverse communities.
Zagor, M. (2024). From borders to pathways: Innovations and regressions in the movement of people into Europe. ANU Press. This open access book examines the evolution of European migration policy, offering a forward-looking analysis that extends beyond traditional border controls to innovative legal migration pathways. Contributors provide an in-depth exploration of the drivers shaping migration policies, including public opinion and the rise of populist discourses, the contrasting responses to various real and imagined migrant crises, and critiques of recent policy innovations such as refugee finance schemes, ‘safe legal pathways’, and migrant lotteries. Through interdisciplinary perspectives, the authors assess socio-political, legal, geo-political and cultural shifts to advocate for a more inclusive, humane and sustainable approach to migration. By challenging dominant narratives of deterrence, extraterritoriality and exclusion, this book advocates for policies that balance Europe’s myriad commitments, values and imperatives, highlighting the need for ethical frameworks that respect the dignity of migrants.
Celestino, M. R., Lee, S., & Kivimaki, T. (2024). Coups and refugee flows in autocracies and democracies. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 1–20. Much research stresses the impact of armed conflict on refugee flows. This article focuses on another form of political instability that has yet to be systematically examined: coups. It presents a typology of coups by considering (a) whether coup plotters succeed or not in seizing power, and (b) the type of regime after the coup. It identifies four types of coup attempts: (1) failed coups in autocracy, (2) failed coups in democracy, (3) autocratic coups, and (4) democratic coups. The authors argue that failed coups in autocracies and autocratic coups increase government repression and hinder economic performance, creating societal environments that trigger refugee flows. This contrasts with more stable environments following failed coups in democracies and democratic coups that are expected not to affect refugee flows.
Cranwell, G. (2024). A Primer on trauma-informed practice in refugee law. Bond Law Review, 36(1). This article is intended as a primer on trauma-informed practice for professionals working in the area of refugee law. Refugees and asylum seekers are amongst the most vulnerable groups in the community, and the process of seeking asylum itself can intensify stress. Trauma-informed practice is founded on ‘safety first’ and ‘do no harm’. It reflects adherence to core principles, rather than a prescribed set of practices and procedures. The core principles of trauma-informed practice include safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment. This article primarily focuses on professional applications of trauma-informed practice at an individual level. By taking steps to integrate these principles into interpersonal interactions with refugees and asylum seekers, professionals can better support their needs in the refugee law context.
Owen, D. (2024). From forced migration to displacement? Refugee Survey Quarterly. Should the multi-disciplinary field of Forced Migration Studies (FMS) re-orient itself around the concept of “displacement”? This short intervention situates this question against the background of the transition from Refugee Studies to FMS, as well as external developments in the realm of protection. It draws attention to how the concept of displacement has become more central to both policy and academic discussion in FMS before considering what difference such a re-orientation might make conceptually, ethically, and politically. It concludes by suggesting that FMS might be conceived as standing between and across two larger fields of enquiry: Migration Studies and Displacement Studies.
Samoilov, O., Krupenyna, N., Mukhina, G., Bykova, V., & Remekh, T. (2024). Psychological and pedagogical aspects of adaptation of displaced Ukrainian children to the educational environment of another country. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. The sudden and unexpected war in Ukraine led to a large flow of citizens displaced abroad. Almost half of them are preschool- and school-age children. The peculiarities of their adaptation to the educational environment of another country necessitates the study of the main aspects of adaptation in these conditions. The aim is to identify the psychological and pedagogical aspects of adaptation to the educational environment of another country of school-age refugee children. The research found that the 203 children who relocated to other countries have high rates of adaptation to the educational environment. Their performance indicators improved, high satisfaction with school, teachers, and relationships with classmates was revealed. The study showed that, in general, displaced Ukrainian children have high rates of adaptation to the educational space of other countries. They are emotionally stable, sociable, moderately hyperactive, have no behavioural disorders, and have high prosocial behaviour. The obtained results can contribute to the development of a programme to support Ukrainian children of immigrants to the educational environment of other countries, which will contribute to their psychological and pedagogical adaptation to it.
Taha, D. M. (2024). Marriage in displacement: Gendered (self)resettlement strategies of Syrian women in Egypt. The British Journal of Sociology, 1–16. Drawing on fieldwork data among Syrian refugee women marrying Egyptian men amid forced migration, the author explores how displacement reshapes the meaning and purpose of marriage. Many such unions, often customary or polygamous, provoke comparisons to forced marriage and gender-based violence. Bypassing the reductive exploitation and static narratives, they ask: How does displacement alter refugee women’s perceptions of marriage’s purpose? And can marriage serve as a strategic tool for (self)resettlement? This investigation urges us to reevaluate the existing range of resettlement options and criteria, offering fresh perspectives on marital strategies post-displacement. Rather, similar marriages often stem from both affective and practical considerations, challenging colonial dichotomies (e.g., agent/victim) and reinstating the role of factors such as social capital in the trajectories of the uprooted. This study expands understanding of gendered and Othered refugee experiences, highlighting marriage’s transformative role in forced displacement and resettlement. It contributes to ongoing discussions on marriage, displacement, and resettlement, urging a nuanced approach that acknowledges the complexities of refugee agency and adaptation.
REPORTS AND POLICY BRIEFS
Decolonising Knowledge Production in the Field of Refugee Education: Unsettling the Ontology and Epistemology of a Nascent Field by C. Brun, C. Saab & M. Shuayb. (2024). Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the knowledge production landscape in the field of refugee education, critically exploring how it continues to be shaped by colonial legacies and dominated by global north (GN) perspectives. Analysing the English language and Arabic language academic literature on refugee education, the study investigates the power dynamics, economic interests, and ideological influences that sustain the divide between the global north and global south (GS) in this body of research. The findings reveal that the field of refugee education, despite its growth and diversification over the past two decades, remains profoundly unequal in terms of authorship, geographic focus, and the overall epistemological and ontological frameworks that underpin it.
Enduring Change: A Data Review of Firsthand Accounts of Climate Mobility Impacts. (2024). IRAP. The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Al Otro Lado, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, and Haitian Bridge Alliance released a groundbreaking new report providing definitive evidence that climate change and environmental disasters are substantially impacting people seeking immigration relief in the United States. The report represents the largest data analysis of its kind in the Americas. One of the key findings include 43% of respondents from the Americas reported experiencing environmental disasters such as hurricanes, droughts, extreme heat, and floods in their home countries.
Engaging Local Communities for More Effective Climate Mobility Programming by Lawrence Huang & Camille Le Coz. (2024). Migration Policy Institute. Climate change does not affect all communities the same way. Floods in one location can cause massive, long-term displacement and even permanent relocation, while they might only trigger short-term evacuations elsewhere. This depends to a significant extent on how vulnerable communities are to begin with and the resources they have to cope and adapt. And because the impacts of climate change on human mobility are highly localized, the solutions need to be as well. This issue brief explores the importance of localization in climate migration solutions, as well as common barriers that have kept local actors from taking on greater roles. It also offers recommendations for turning localization from a rhetorical commitment into practical action.
Expanding Refugee Access to National Education Systems: The State of the Evidence on Enabling Factors, Constraints, and Interventions by A. Pacifico, S. Ferrans, A. Almassri, G. Kebe. (2024). Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies. This policy brief summarises actionable findings from the ERICC Evidence Review: Expanding Refugee Access to National Education Systems: The State of the Evidence (forthcoming) to further highlight evidence gaps and research needs. The policy brief describes the substantive, methodological and geographic scope of existing evidence on refugee student access to NES. It then presents findings about six global-, regional- and national-level enabling factors and constraints for refugee student access to NES: financing, education infrastructure and sector capacity, political will and support for refugee inclusion, governance and coordination arrangements, non-state actor engagement and data systems. Local and child-level risk and protective factors further influencing refugee access to NES are presented in the third section of the brief, including: gender, socioeconomic and legal status, language barriers, perceptions of education relevance, and xenophobia, gender-based violence and intolerance. The fourth section synthesises evidence on interventions used in refugee-hosting contexts to improve student access: global and regional frameworks that support refugee inclusion; double shift schools; recognition, validation and accreditation of prior learning, flexible learning programmes, and host country language acquisition; cash transfers; and school feeding. Finally, this brief presents research needs which stakeholders can prioritise to significantly improve the evidence base for (cost-)effective, inclusive and scalable interventions that enhance refugee student access to education.
Haiti: Increased internal displacement heightens food and health needs in the Grand Sud region. (2024). Reliefweb. In 2024, Haiti has seen a 60% increase in the number of displaced people, rising from 362,000 in March to 702,973 in September, primarily as a result of deteriorating security conditions in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Zone (ZMPAP). One-third of those displaced nationwide left their homes in the first half of the year, marking this as a period with one of the highest levels of displacement in Haiti’s recent history. More than 90% of all displaced people originated from the Ouest department, particularly the ZMPAP, which accounted for 85% of the national total. These areas also experienced the highest violence-related incidents between 2023–2024.
NEWS AND BLOG POSTS
A new chapter of hope: refugee students embark on university journeys in Canada by Mohamed Maalim, September 20, 2024. UNHCR Kenya. At the dusty Dadaab airstrip in Garissa County, north eastern Kenya, a mix of emotions fills the air as fourteen young refugees stand together, clutching their boarding passes. Some hug their families tightly, fighting back tears, while others wear nervous smiles, trying to comfort parents who whisper final words of encouragement. These young men and women, selected from thousands of hopefuls are about to embark on a transformative journey – one that will lead them to universities in Canada through a special scholarship program offered by the World University Service of Canada. For these refugees, this opportunity represents more than an education; it is a path of hope, stability, and a brighter future. The selection process for this scholarship was rigorous, testing academic potential, leadership qualities, and the candidates’ commitment to contribute to their communities in Dadaab and beyond.
Eighteen years since warning of climate refugee crisis, Albanese has the power to do something, but not the will by Richard Denniss, October 13, 2024. The New Daily. Eighteen years ago today Anthony Albanese issued a press release about the urgent need to not just act on climate change, but prepare for the humanitarian crisis of climate refugees fleeing low-lying Pacific island nations. Specifically his press release, having criticised the Howard government for being slow to act, called for “the establishment of an international coalition led by Australia to accept climate change refugees from Pacific countries”. But 18 years later, the Albanese government, like the Howard government of 2006, is still ignoring the scientific consensus about the urgent need to reduce emissions, still subsidising and opening new gas and coal mines and still hasn’t created a legal framework for climate refugees.
Refugees in east Africa suffer from high levels of depression, making it harder to rebuild lives – new study by Olivier Sterck, Julia R Pozuelo, Maria Flinder Stierna, and Raphael Bradenbrink, October 9, 2024. The Conversation. By the end of 2023, more than 100 million people globally had been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, fear of persecution, and human rights violations. The majority are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, where many live in overcrowded camps or urban settlements, with limited access to food, employment and essential services. Many endure traumatic experiences not only before their displacement but also during and after it. They face armed conflict, marginalisation and poverty at every stage of their journey. These experiences may increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders, which can persist years after displacement. This makes it harder for refugees to earn a living and integrate into society.
Supporting refugee students: How and why universities should prioritize inclusivity, access by Michelle Bellino, September 18, 2024. Michigan News. Drawing on her research with displaced communities, Michelle Bellino, associate professor of education at the University of Michigan, argues that universities should care about refugees, asylum-seekers and displaced communities as part of their mission to prepare students for a more just and egalitarian society. Bellino urges institutions of higher education to join Welcome Corps on Campus, a new opportunity for U.S. universities to welcome, enroll and support refugee students. This article covers the challenges refugee youth face when accessing education, how universities currently consider refugee students for admission and financial support, and what they can do to make education more accessible for them.
UK seeks to move 36 Diego Garcia asylum seekers to Romania by Jacob Godlberg, October 9, 2024. The New Humanitarian. UNHCR has approved a request by the UK to transfer 36 Sri Lankan asylum seekers from Diego Garcia and Rwanda to a transit centre in Romania, the UN’s refugee agency told The New Humanitarian.The 36 people are part of a group of 64 who arrived on the remote Indian Ocean island by boat, starting in October 2021, and have sought to claim asylum in the UK or elsewhere. The island is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which the UK agreed earlier this month to cede to Mauritius following years of negotiations.
EVENTS, RESOURCES, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Being Stateless: An Oral History Podcast. Melbourne Law School. People who arrived in Australia stateless tell of their experiences in a new podcast by the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at the University of Melbourne. Being Stateless: An Oral History Podcast features a Holocaust survivor, a Palestinian born in Lebanon, and a Tamil woman. They talk to interviewer Dr. Jordana Silverstein about what it was like to be forced to migrate to a new country; how they made a home and dealt with loss; and how they remember where they came from. Dr. Silverstein says, “The figures are not firm, but the United Nations High Commission for Refugees estimates that there are about 8,000 stateless people in Australia. It is probable there are many more, as Australia does not have a way of counting people, and some people would not in any case self-identify their status to the state.”
Protection in the UK: the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Refugees Studies Centre. The UK is ending its migration partnership with Rwanda and preparing new legislation. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is likely to include measures allowing ‘fast-track decisions and returns to safe countries’ and ‘stronger powers to disrupt, investigate and prosecute organised criminals facilitating organised immigration crime.’ An expert panel will analyse these developments and consider what taking a progressive, rights-protective, approach to protection in the UK could and should involve. The online event will be on October 30, 2024, from 5pm to 6pm (UK & UTC).
Public Seminar Series 2023/24; Seminar Three: Climate Change, Displacement and Gender. Women in Refugee Law (WiRL). The United Nations estimates that 80% of people who are displaced by the impact of climate change are women. Climate change not only affects where people live; it can exacerbate existing gender inequalities and expose women to increased risks such as SGBV. This panel discussion considers some of the ways that climate change specifically affects women and reflects on ways this is being addressed in refugee law, policy and practice. This online event will be on October 28, 2024, 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM (UK & UTC).
Voices on the Move Podcast Launch Event. The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. Migration Matters and York University is proud to announce the launch of its latest podcast series, Voices on the Move, an in-depth exploration of the complex and urgent relationship between climate change and migration. The podcast features expert insights and personal stories from communities directly affected by climate-induced displacement, offering a fresh perspective on the consequences of environmental shifts on mobility, habitability, and global migration patterns. This event is on October 29, 2024, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET, in person at the 2120 Dahdaleh Building at York University.