The Centre for Trauma, Asylum and Refugees (CTAR) was established recently at the University of Essex and aims to provide a framework and a focus for examining, from a variety of different perspectives, the main issues associated with the reality and experience of being an asylum seeker or refugee; the main emphasis is on the psychosocial dimensions of these experiences. The Centre is also intended to provide a forum for individuals and organisations in this country and abroad to exchange knowledge and experiences and to further develop their ideas and work in this field. The Centre is based within the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies and also has links with the MA in Refugee Care / PhD in Refugee Care run jointly by the University of Essex and the Tavistock Clinic.