bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Change and Challenge at UNHCR: A Retrospective of the Past Fifty Years
Authors: Hyndman Jennifer
Published: June 2020

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is arguably the lead UN agency in complex humanitarian emergencies. But this is a recent role, whereby UNHCR provides assistance to displaced persons both beyond international borders, in refugee camps, and within conflict zones. The agency has evolved, in practice, beyond its original mandate to protect refugees and ensure solutions to their plight. This short article traces the emergence of UNHCR after World War II in the context of cold war geopolitics and provisions of international law. Specific references are made to the OAU Convention on Refugees and the Cartagena Declaration, both of which shape a specific geography of refugee determination in Africa and the Americas respectively. The paper concludes that with the end of the superpower tensions, humanitarian assistance is being delivered in distinct ways and with new meanings.
Children Asylum Seekers Face Challenges in the United States
Authors: Morton Andrew , Young Wendy A.
Published: June 2020

This article outlines U.S. policy toward children asylum seekers. It highlights the gaps in U.S. detention and asylum policy which jeopardize the protection of children. It also discusses advances made in recent years, such as issuance of the U.S. “Guidelines for Children’s Asylum Claims” which establish evidentiary, procedural, and legal standards for asylum adjudicators dealing with children’s claims. Finally, it suggests reforms that are necessary to bring the United States into compliance with international law and to ensure that children are provided the refuge they deserve.
Refugees and Border Security Post-September 11
Authors: Adelman Howard
Published: June 2020

In the aftermath of the terror attack on the United States on 11 September 2001, widespread concerns were raised about security concerns related to access to Canada and the United States of refugee claimants. Many new changes were introduced after that event to improve the control mechanisms to reduce the threat of terrorism. In the overlap between refugee and security concerns, particularly with respect to the genuine fear of terrorism, this paper will examine the controls in place and introduced after 11 September 2001 to restrict the entry and retention of terrorists in association with the refugee determination process. This paper will attempt to assess whether the refugee determination process provides any significant opening for terrorists to enter Canada or the United States.
Refugee Policy after September 11: Not Much New
Authors: Whitaker Reg
Published: June 2020

Conventional wisdom holds that the terrorist attacks of September 11 have “changed everything.” In the case of refugee policy, it would appear the salience of security and enforcement aspects has increased at the expense of human rights and humanitarian concerns. In the light of actual practices in the immigration and refugee security field in recent years, there is actually more continuity than discontinuity resulting from the current crisis. Existing standards and procedures are confirmed, rather than altered, by new legislation and practices. Refugee policies have increasingly been understood within a national security discourse, well before September 11.
Problématique du genre dans les situations de détresse : le cas des réfugiés en Afrique
Authors: Laliberté-Beringar Danièle
Published: June 2020

This article tries to take stock of male/female relationships in assembly areas related to wars, and especially in refugee camps. It also aims at showing how conflicts heighten inequalities between the sexes at every age level. The approach adopted has been to review scientific literature of the last decade, as well as the policies and programs of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The text is divided into several main parts: the place occupied by gender in research on refugees, in international aid, and refugee rights; a statistical overview; the transformation of the roles associated with gender; the difference in the impact of displacement depending on gender; and the vulnerability of refugee women and girls.
A Systematic Review of Refugee Women’s Reproductive Health
Authors: Gagnon Anita J. , Merry Lisa , Robinson Cathlyn
Published: June 2020

Resettling refugee women may be at greater risk than other women for several harmful reproductive health outcomes as a result of their migration experience. The objective of this study was to determine differences in reproductive health status between refugee women in countries of resettlement and non-refugee counterparts. A systematic review of the literature culled from five electronic databases and web searching of international agencies and academic centres focusing on refugees was conducted. Of the forty-one high quality studies identified, fourteen looked at refugees exclusively; only nine of the fourteen focused on the reproductive health of refugees; six of the nine directly compared refugee to non-refugee women’s health. There is a paucity of populationbased data to support or refute claims of greater reproductive health risks for resettling refugee women.
Globalization, Security, Paradox: Towards a Refugee Biopolitics
Authors: Muller Benjamin
Published: June 2020

How can we think, imagine, and make authoritative claims about contemporary refugee politics? I believe this question must precede investigations into struggles/movements advocating rights and political voice for refugees. It is important to come to terms with the changing terrain of refugee politics, in order to (re)conceptualize it and provide some idea of how/where such struggles might be fought. Focusing on the colliding commitments to globalization and security, particularly since September 11, 2001, I argue that “paradox” is a core element of refugee politics. To some extent, this has been rehearsed elsewhere, and I point to the highlights in the existing literature. I suggest that an approach sensitive to Foucault’s account of governmentality and biopolitics is particularly helpful, stressing the diffuse networks of power in refugee politics among private and public actors, the increasing role of “biotechnology,” and some (re)solution to the globalization – domestic security paradox, leading to what I call the “biopoliticization of refugee politics.” Examined here are the politics of asylum and refugee movements in the UK. In particular, the 2002 government White Paper on immigration and asylum – Secure Borders, Safe Haven – provides an example of the changing terrain of contemporary (post-September 11) refugee (bio)politics.
A Canadian Perspective on the Subjective Component of the Bipartite Test for “Persecution”: Time for Re-evaluation
Authors: Bossin Michael , Demirdache Laila
Published: June 2020

Canadian decision makers refer so regularly to the bipartite nature of the test for persecution in refugee claims that one rarely gives the matter a second thought. After all, the Supreme Court of Canada in Ward clearly affirmed that a refugee claimant must subjectively fear persecution, and this fear must be wellfounded in an objective sense. In this article, the authors focus on the meaning and validity of the subjective aspect of the bipartite test. It is especially appropriate to do so at this time, given the introduction of the term “person in need of protection” in section 97 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and recent Federal Court decisions holding that the subjective fear is not a requirement in section 97 cases. Looking at the issue of subjective fear from historical, psychological, and legal perspectives, the authors argue: (a) that the drafters of the UN Convention never intended claimants to be “subjectively afraid” in order to qualify for protection; (b) determining an asylum seeker’s state of mind presents a minefield of potential problems for decision makers; and (c) given the new IRPA provisions dealing with persons in need of protection, the question is not whether there is a bipartite test for determining well-founded fear, but whether, indeed, there ought to be such a test.
In Limbo: Dependency, Insecurity, and Identity amongst Somali Refugees in Dadaab Camps
Authors: Abdi Awa M.
Published: June 2020

The Somali civil war of 1991 left thousands of refugees scattered in neighbouring countries. This article examines the situation of the 130,000 Somalis in their second decade in Dadaab camps in Kenya, with a particular focus on the role and responsibilities of the refugee regime and the host state. It is argued that these camps are characterized by deprivations of both material and physical security. Research found that refugees’ dependency on inadequate aid is due to lack of alternative livelihoods rather than “dependency syndrome.” However, participants expressed diminished “self-esteem” resulting from their prolonged encampment. Finally, the paper presents a critique of the failure to explore solutions for protracted refugee situations on the part of the international refugee regime.
The 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons: Implementation Within the European UnionMember States and Recommendations for Harmonization
Authors: Batchelor Carol
Published: June 2020

This article provides an assessment of the implementation of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons as of 2003 within the fifteen European Union Member States. The study provides a brief overview of the history, object, and purpose of the 1954 Convention, analyzing the definition of statelessness and methods for practical implementation. Approaches taken by EU Member States to the identification and recognition of stateless persons on their respective territories are assessed, and recommendations aimed at furthering harmonization of approaches as between States are outlined.
Permanent Protection: Why Canada Should Grant Permanent Residence Automatically to Recognized Refugees
Authors: Brouwer Andrew
Published: June 2020

In order to achieve secure status in Canada, asylum seekers
must go through a lengthy, three-stage procedure involving
(1) eligibility determination, (2) refugee status
determination, and (3) application for permanent residence.
Applicants are screened for security and criminality
at both the first and third stages. During the third
stage, which can take upwards of eighteen months, refugees
find themselves in “legal limbo”: as recognized refugees
they have the right to remain in Canada, but beyond
that their rights are significantly curtailed.
The author argues that the repeat screening at the permanent
resident stage is unnecessary and redundant, and
that the resulting delay in access to basic rights violates
Canada’s international obligations. The article concludes
with a proposal that permanent resident status be granted
automatically to refugees upon recognition as refugees.
The Resettlement of Central American Men in Canada: From Emotional Distress to Successful Integration
Authors: Pottie Kevin , Brown Judith Belle , Dunn Samuel
Published: June 2020

Stress associated with immigration, particularly forced migration, may aggravate men’s emotional distress and reluctance to seek help. This qualitative study of Central American immigrant and refugee men explored the process of coping with distress during resettlement. “Losing the way,” a common theme of resettlement, was frequently a solitary struggle accompanied by anxiety, depression, and/or abusive behaviours. “Finding the way,” grieving socio-cultural losses and seeking help, became possible when participants were able to accept responsibility for their behaviour. The role of “belonging” (support groups, jobs, family obligations) was a key motivating factor in the process of accepting responsibility and personal change.
The Material Culture of Chilean Exile: A Transnational Dialogue
Authors: Simalchik Joan
Published: June 2020

In the aftermath of the 1973 coup d’état, Chileans managed to find refuge in more than forty of the world’s countries. They left with the expectation that they would only need temporary asylum, but instead found themselves in a state of prolonged exile. In order to speed the day of return and as antidote to the trauma of exile, Chileans created communities in opposition to the Pinochet dictatorship. Through resistance strategies enacted in a constructed site of struggle, Chilean exile communities facilitated remembrance through commemorative practices, cultural forms, testimony, and the preservation of endangered material culture that became decisive for legal cases against impunity and as a basis for historical inquiry.
Unaccompanied/Separated Minors and Refugee Protection in Canada: Filling Information Gaps
Authors: Wouk Judith , Yu Soojin , Roach Lisa , Thomson Jessie , Harris Anmarie
Published: June 2020

This paper fills information gaps with regard to unaccompanied/ separated minors in Canada. By the means of reviewing Citizenship and Immigration Canada administrative databases, it investigates how many unaccompanied/separated refugee minors exist, who they are, and how they are received in Canada.We found that there were fewer truly unaccompanied minors than previously reported. In the asylum stream, only 0.63 per cent (or 1,087) of the total claimant population were found to be unaccompanied by adults in the past five years. In the resettlement stream only two truly unaccompanied minors were resettled during 2003 and 2004. Regarding their socio-demographic characteristics, we found that unaccompanied minors compose a highly heterogeneous group from many different countries. Regarding how they were received in Canada, very little evidence existed. Our study found that unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking minors showed a higher acceptance rate and quicker processing times than the adult population, but details about the minors’ actual reception into Canada remains to be further explored. This study recommends that Citizenship and Immigration Canada review its administrative databases with a view toward improving the data about separated/unaccompanied children. Consistent and detailed definitions are required to develop a comprehensive policy framework for unaccompanied/ separated minor refugees in Canada.
Legal Refugee Recognition in the Urban South: Formal v. de Facto Refugee Status
Authors: Kagan Michael
Published: June 2020

The legal relevance of the “urban refugee” concept in the Middle East and Africa stems from the practice of practicing different forms of refugee status determination (RSD) in rural as opposed to urban areas. Urban refugees are usually subject to rigorous individual adjudication, while rural refugees are typically recognized on a prima facie basis. This difference in procedure has no basis in the substance of refugee law, and it marginalizes urban refugees in two key ways. First, in Africa and the Middle East, refugee status recognition is used by host governments to prevent refugee integration, to force refugees to live far from population centres, and to transfer responsibility for their welfare to international agencies. Second, individualized RSD procedures in wide use by the United Nations generally lack key fairness safeguards, increasing the risk that genuine refugees will be wrongfully rejected. This phenomenon means that urban refugee populations will often be systematically undercounted, and will include a significant number of de facto refugees who are in fact refugees in danger of refoulement, but whose applications were rejected and who thus have no access to the protection and resources otherwise targeted at refugees.
Citoyens sans frontières
Authors: De Miranda Danilo Santos
Published: June 2020

Brazil has become a host country for thousands of Latin- American and African people, especially those who speak Portuguese. This article discusses the activities of nongovernmental organizations working with these refugees; more specifically, the efforts of SESC (Social Service of Trade), a sui generis institution engaged in socio-cultural activities in Latin America.
On the Outside Looking In: The Precarious Housing Situations of Successful Refugee Claimants in the GVRD
Authors: Sherrell Kathy , D'Addario Silvia , Hiebert Daniel
Published: June 2020

Access to affordable and adequate housing is a key step in the successful integration of newcomers. While some immigrants are able to transition into home ownership quite rapidly, other newcomers are finding it increasing difficult to access basic shelter. There is little systematic knowledge about the extent of homelessness among immigrants and refugees in Greater Vancouver. This paper details the findings of a 2005 study entitled The Profile of Absolute and Relative Homelessness among Immigrants, Refugees, and Refugee Claimants in the GVRD. We highlight the extent to which some newcomers are increasingly at risk of “hidden homelessness,” a term that describes precarious and unstable housing experiences. This paper also details the unique housing experiences of refugee claimants. Given their temporary legal status, claimants often face the most tenuous experiences in the housing market. Their experiences are often marked by poor residential conditions, crowding, and high rent-to-income ratios.
Living with Precarious Legal Status in Canada: Implications for the Well-Being of Children and Families
Authors: Bernhard Judith K. , Goldring Luin , Young Julie , Berinstein Carolina , Wilson Beth
Published: June 2020

This study focused on the effects of precarious status on the well-being of fifteen participants with particular attention to their attempts to claim services, their feelings of belonging and sense of social support, and the effects of parents’ status on children. It investigates ways in which the status of one family member can affect the well-being of the entire family. Those who had children reported that the family’s status disadvantaged their children, whether they were Canadian or foreign-born, as parents’ status was used to justify denying children rights to which they are entitled by international, national, and provincial laws. The paper challenges approaches to citizenship and immigration status that fail to consider the implications of legal status for a person’s primary social units and networks.
Refugee Movements from the Sudan: An Overview Analysis
Authors: Otunnu Ogenga
Published: June 2020

Most refugees do not leave their home with a national passport in hand. Nor do they
have prepaid tickets for their transport since they do not take national airlines or
railways when they leave their countries. They leave in acute situations and for
many of them their journey is hampered by acute problems. They flee in disguise,
avoid the main roads; and are ignorant of what lies ahead since they travel through
unknown territory often without guide. This makes flight for many a grope for
safety in total darkness. And such flight is filled with numerous hardships and
danger. (Bulcha, M. 1988. Flight and Integration: Causes of Mass Exodus from Ethiopia and Problems
of Integration in the Sudan. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, 138.)
Crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina and
the Myth of Preventive Protection
Authors: Barutciski Michael
Published: June 2020

The concept of "preventive protection"
(or preventive diplomacy) has
been used by UNHCR in recent years
to help justify its shift of focus from
external asylum to internal assistance.
In the case of the former Yugoslav Republic
of Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is inappropriate
for the powerful states
that control UNHCR1 to speak of preventive
protection when their foreign
policy had more to do with geopolitical
objectives than with finding a solution
that could have realistically
helped avert the war. This article
presents selected legal problems that
help in understanding the armed conflict
in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Politique Africaine de la France: arrêtons le massacre
Authors: Verschave François-Xavier
Published: June 2020

The Rwandese genocide dramatically reveals the senseless
nature of French policy in Africa-determined by personal
relationships, speculation, and corruption. As the
"reserved domain" of the French President for the past 35
years, French policy on the African continent has been
dominated by personal relationships between the French
President and his African counterparts, the military
lobby, the francophone lobby (Fachoda Syndrome), and
some French enterprises (EL Bouygues, Bolloré), all of
which have escaped from an democratic control.
Hence in Rwanda, France armed, financed, and trained
a regime that exhibited Nazi-like features with its guard
presidential, militia, hatred ropaganda (Radio Mille Collines), pogroms throughout 1992, and finally the genocide
of April 1994. Since the coming into power of the
Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF)-perceived as pro-Anglo-
Saxon because of its link with Uganda-France has
multiplied its efforts to fill the (pro-French) vacuum left in
the region, by calling upon the Zairean dictator Mobutu to
"stabilize" the region, and by selling the usual military
"package" (arms and training) to the Sudanese regime.
[The author is calling upon] the French population and
the international community to mobilize against the
present French policy in Africa, and identifies three French
organizations that are currently lobbying for a human,
pro-democratic and non-secretive French policy in Africa.
Implications de la crise de l'environnement et du développement
sur la santé et le mouvement migratoire en Afrique
Authors: Gachuruzi Shally B.
Published: June 2020

It is well known that environmental and
development crises have devastating effects.
This article seeks to demonstrate
that the implications of those crises have
repercussions on health and population
migration in Africa. It is concluded that
development inappropriate to the environmental
conditions results in a series
of debilitating conditions for the health
of the population. In turn these conditions
can trigger further crisis in addition
to whatever natural calamities and
population increases occurring.
Globalization, Alienation and the Loss of Other-Wiseness
Authors: O'Neill John
Published: June 2020

The author focuses on the impact of globalization
on different aspects of civil
society. He argues that the global division
of labour, and the exodus of transnational
corporations has resulted in a
new configuration of the forces of integration
and fragmentation of regional
economies. Postmodernist emphasis on
heterogeneity and uniqueness of cultural
life has given the Radical Right
justification for excluding attention to
those considered as cultural minorities.
Rather, we are reduced to a common
denominator of economic strength as
the only criterion of value and legitimacy.
Toward a Community-Based Approach to
Healing: A Case Study of the Canadian
Centre for Victims of Torture
Authors: Abai Mulugeta , Sawicki Lydia
Published: June 2020

This paper provides insights about the
operations of the Canadian Centre for
Victims of Torture (CCVT). It argues
that unlike clinical approaches to health
care, the Centre's strategy is unique in
that it is oriented toward "breaking the
circles of silence and building circles of
solidarity." The CCVT provides direct
services to clients as weIl as providing
linkages to other services, including
networking with lawyers and officiaIs
involved in the refugee determination
process. The paper draws attention to
the needs of victims of torture and specific
groups such as women, and the
many reasons why there is often a time
delay before they seek services.
Refugee Self-Management and the Question of Governance
Authors: Hyndman Jennifer
Published: June 2020

The author considers the organization
of refugee camps as "communities" or
"institutions" and takes the position
that refugee camps are too institutional
in character to establish or maintain
traditional community-based supports.
The implications that such definitions
hold for camp governance and for the
situation of refugee women, in particular,
are discussed and the problematics
for refugee self-governance are focused
on the complex organizational boundaries
drawn between UNHCR, NGOs
and the camp refugees. A gendered
framework is pivotal to the analyses.
When Refugees are Women:
Emergence of the Issue on the International Agenda
Authors: Osaki Keiko
Published: June 2020

Using the latest refugee statistics available
from the United Nations High
Commissionerfor Refugees (UNHCR),
the author examines, first, the presence
of women in refugee populations. Second,
she chronologically reviews the efforts of the United Nations and United
Nations agencies to heighten awareness
regarding the issue, and to resolve specific
problems that refugee women face.
Lastly, the special needs for women refugees
are identified with implications for
possible program interventions.
Struggling for Rights:
African Women and the "Sanspapiers" Movement in France
Authors: Lloyd Cathie
Published: June 2020

This article considers the political impact
of recent migration of women from
West Africa to France in the context of
draconian controls (the Pasqua Laws).
It outlines the main characteristics of
both the migration and the legislation,
and analyses the principal features of
the eighteen month dispute for the legalization
of undocumented workers
which has become known as the "lutte
des sanspapiers."
Cycle of Violence Theories and Conflict Resolution in the Post-Yugoslav States
Authors: Pupavac Vanessa
Published: June 2020

This paper examines the implementation
of non-governmental programs in
the post-Yugoslav states. Current conflict
resolution initiatives are informed
by theories of deviancy and the idea of
cycles of violence. The presumption of
such programs is that conflict has resulted from
a culture of violence. Whilst
some non-governmental organisations
have expressed doubts about the effectiveness
of their peace education work,
the reasons for the problems they experience
are often misunderstood. One
reason that is never addressed is that
people from the region are already familiar
with the concept of peace education,
but have seen it fail. Ironically postwar
Yugoslavia was very important in the
development of the field of peace education
and was held up as a model of ethnic
conflict management for other countries
to follow.
Property Issues in Displacement and Conflict Resolution
Authors: Wichert Tim
Published: June 2020

Property plays an important role in the
decisions made by refugees and displaced
persons regarding durable solutions
for them and their families. In
particular, it will affect their decision
whether to return to their homes. Understanding
property rights in this context
is imperative, especially for
agencies involved in post-conflict rehabilitation.
This paper sets out the context
by outlining various legal and
practical considerations. It then looks at
specific initiatives in Mozambique,
Bosnia and Nicaragua. For a variety of
reasons, there is a move towards "non
formal" resolution of property disputes,
in particular the use of alternative dispute
resolution mechanisms. These are
considered, and seven points of comment
and conclusion then follow.
The Role of Land Conflict and Land Conflict Resolution in a Peace
Process: Mozambique's Return to Agriculture
Authors: Unruh Jon D.
Published: June 2020

The massive return and reintegration of
refugees and displaced persons in Mozambique
(the largest in the histoy of
Africa) has pushed land tenure issues to
the fore in the county's peace process.
While land re-access for the six million
dislocatees is critical for food, security
and political stability, conflict over land
resources has become a primary concern
of the government and both the regional
and international community participating in Mozambique's recovery.
Based on data recently collected over a
year-and-a-half in Mozambique, this
paper will look at the problematic issues
of land access, land conflict, and land
conflict resolution emerging from the
recent 16 year war, and highlight the
role of organizations from the national
to the international, in land conflict
resolution.
Belarus is Going back to ... Past or Future?
Authors: Basin Yakov
Published: June 2020

Using media information and "leaks" from
those within influential circles close to the
President, the author analyzes the
development of the political climate in
Belarus. He shows that the government is
actively searching for ideas and ways to
bring a new order to the country. According
to the author, there are many ideologists
who want to turn Belarus into a
fascist state. The author cites examples of
proliferating anti-Semitic activities, often
of a criminal character, as one of the most
visible signs of this political trend.
Nazi Collaborators in the Soviet Union during and after World War II
Authors: Kovalev Boris
Published: June 2020

Based on documents for the Russian
archives, which in the early 1990s became open to the researchers,
the author gives an account of the problem of collaborating
with Nazi Germany in the USSR during World War II. He discusses the role
of special punitive detachments, formed from the local populations
in the occupied territories, in assisting Nazis in their policy
of terror and genocide. A brief history of
the infamous 667th punitive battalion,
"Shelon, " and some of its members serves as
an illustrative example. The author also
explains why so many Nazi collaborators
from the former Soviet Union managed to
escape punishment and settle in the
Western countries, Canada and the United
States in particular, and also traces the
history of some of them.
Ethical Challenges in Refugee Research:
Troublesome Questions, Difficult Answers
Authors: Vargas Claudia Maria
Published: June 2020

This paper articulates some of the more
troublesome questions and ethical challenges
that researchers conducting
interviews with refugees and refugee
service-providers face. The author suggests
three ethical principles that must be
considered when doing qualitative research:
a) trust, confidentiality, honesty,
responsibility, b) an active and positive
approach to cultural differences, including
gender issues, and c) respect for the
emotional experiences of victims. By
grounding the research process within
this ethical practice a delicate balance
between the goals of research and the interests
of the respondent can be maintained.
Afghan Refugees: Is International Support Draining Away after Two Decades in Exile?
Authors: Colville Rupert
Published: June 2020

Afghanistan holds all the refugee
records, both good and bad. However, as
the remaining refugees enter their twentieth
year in exile, international support
for finding a solution to their predicament
appears to be dwindling as the
Taliban consolidate their hold on Afghanistan while simultaneously alienating
much of the outside world. Because of
insufficient funding, United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) has had to curtail voluntary
repatriation programs in 1998 and reports
a bleak outlook for 1999.
Education Patterns in the Context of an Emergency1
Authors: Dupree Nancy Hatch
Published: June 2020

Education in Afghanistan is in crisis.
This discussion examines the context
that structures the Afghan crisis.
Amongst the vast plentitude of challenges
confronting Afghanistan today,
those in education are the most paradoxical.
On the one hand, one is told that
education forms the foundation upon
which all reconstruction rests. On the
other hand, education remains the most
severely underfunded sector in humanitarian
assistance to Afghanistan.
Early Warning: North Korean Refugees in China
Authors: Rickerd Donald S.
Published: June 2020

Very little is known about the tragic
"flood" of poverty-stricken, starving
refugees from North Korea who are seeking
food and safety in the People's Republic
of China. This article sheds some
light on their plight and the emerging
refugee crisis in that part of the world.
Sexual Violence and the Crisis in Kosovo
Authors: Pilch Frances T.
Published: June 2020

In this article the author discusses the escalation of sexual violence in Kosovo that has affected refugees before, during and after their flight from that region. The response of the United Nations and humanitarian organizations to the reports and the reality of sexual violence is examined, as are the constraints and problems encountered by these institutions in formulating a coordinated and effective response to sexual violence.
Broken Lives?
Reflections on the Anthropology of Exile and Repair
Authors: Lumsden David P.
Published: June 2020

This article provides a rethinking of
the concept of' exile and promotes
its utility regarding both the
externally and the internally displaced.
It does so from the
perspective of Medical
Anthropology. A number of variables
affecting and shaping the morality,
performance, nature and
outcomes of exile are identified.
Edward Said's views are discussed;
but, must exiles always and forever
be viewed or be felt as 'broken
lives'? The article argues against a
naive presumption of 'universalism'
to exile's embodied experience and
response; instead, the specificities of
cultural meaning systems must be
taken into account. Further, it argues
against analysts' common presumption
of pathology and 'posttraumatic
stress disorder' among
exiles; instead, evidence for 'agency'
and 'resilience' in exile populations'
health and coping through time must
also, and explicitly, be recognized.
Finally, where lives are 'broken', the
potential of Truth Commissions and
'forgiveness' to be practices of
collective repair is noted. Examples
are drawn from Africa, Bosnia,
Cambodia, Chile, China, Holocaust
survivors, and Tibet.
Water for the Displaced Population's Health: An Urban-Rural Dichotomy Revisited
Authors: Özerdem Alpaslan , Barakat Sultan
Published: June 2020

This paper is a review and analysis of the health impacts of inadequate and unsafe water supplies on displaced populations. The investigation focuses on the overall health implications of the current praxis of water supply recovery and reconstruction, which is often biased towards urban areas, neglecting the water needs of those living in rural areas. Having explored a series of water quantity and quality issues, and their inter-relationship to public health, by comparing urban and rural settlements in the Tuzla Region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, this paper concludes that the overall strategy of responding to water needs of displaced populations requires equal attention and care to both urban and rural areas.
Reproductive Health Issues AfTecting Displaced Populations
Authors: Guy Samantha
Published: June 2020

The provision of reproductive health
services for displaced populations has
gained momentum since the 1994 International
Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD). The ICPD Programme
of Action sets reproductive
health within a rights framework and
highlights the needs of refugees and internally
displaced populations. This paper
looks at the background to
reproductive health for refugees, offers
some lessons learned from Marie Stopes
International's refugee programming
experience and highlights possible future
interventions.
Rapid Assessment of Centers for Displaced Unaccompanied Children
in Rwanda during the 1994 Crisis
Authors: Valadez Joseph J. , Sherry James
Published: June 2020

This paper assesses aIl of the Centers for
Unaccompanied Children (CUCs) in
four prefectures of Rwanda during November
1994 using quantitative and
qualitative methods. The purpose of the
survey was to assess the quality of services
delivered as weIl as the need for standards
to be developed for planning and
managing CUCs. This paper reveals that
CUCs exhibit a large variability
amongst themselves as weIl as numerous
deficiencies in the quality ofservices delivered,
and suggests the need for clear
performance standards, and regular
monitoring and supervision.
Critical Analysis of Refugee Protection in South Asia
Authors: Vijayakumar.. Veerabhadran
Published: June 2020

Many countries in Asia and all the countries
in South Asia have not acceded to
the Refugee Convention of 1951 or the
Protocol of 1967 in spite of the fact that
a large number of refugees come from
this region. The reasons for not ratifying
them are not clear even though many
international human rights instruments
have been ratified by many of
them. The probable reasons for not ratifying
the Refugee Conventionor the Protocol,
the lack of any regional approach
or national legislation to address the
problem, the contribution made by the
international community to the crises in
this region, nature of protection, the
extent of rights available to the refugees
and a brief comparison between the
Northern and Southern perspectives
have also been explained. Some of the
important judicial decisions from India
have been relied upon to appreciate the
developments. This article concludes by
emphasizing that through a comparative
analysis of both the Northern and
Southern perspectives relating to the
protection of refugees, each can benefit
from the experiences of the other, improve
and build a scheme to care for the
millions of refugees as well as others of
concern in the new millennium.
Refugee Status Determination in Brazil: A Tripartite Enterprise
Authors: Jubilut Liliana Lyra , De Oliveira Selmi Apolinàrio Silvia Menicucci
Published: June 2020

Refugee Status Determination (RSD) in Brazil is nowadays a tripartite enterprise, involving UNHCR, the Brazilian government, and civil society. This tripartite character, and especially the participation of the civil society is an impressive feature of RSD in Brazil. It thus seems to be a practice that should be analyzed to see if indeed it can be regarded as a “best practice.” In light of this, the paper aims to verify whether or not there are lessons to be learned from RSD in Brazil with a view to improve best practices of RSD in general.
Abandoning Refugees? An Analysis of the Legal Framework Governing Non-compliant Claimants in Canada
Authors: Jones Martin
Published: June 2020

The refugee status determination (RSD) process in Canada, like the RSD processes of other states, currently rejects one in fifteen refugee claims based upon the non-compliance of refugee claimants with the rules of the process. Most commonly this is due to a claimant’s failure to provide requested information or his or her failure to attend a scheduled hearing. These “abandonment” decisions result in the expedited removal of claimants without access to further review. Despite the drastic consequences of such decisions, the framework within which they are made neither has been comprehensively outlined nor has its application been catalogued, which is the aim of this paper. It argues that while the formal provisions of the domestic framework are both
inconsistent with international law and in excess of the delegated authority through which it is constructed, the Court’s application of the framework has been generous to refugee claimants.
Bordering on Legality: Canadian Church Sanctuary and the Rule of Law
Authors: Rehaag Sean
Published: June 2020

This paper examines church sanctuary incidents in Canada involving unsuccessful refugee claimants seeking to avoid deportation.The author contends that when faith-based communities develop formal screening mechanisms to determine who among the many that request it is accorded sanctuary, they apply similar norms and procedures as those found in Canada’s official refugee determination process.The author argues that although sanctuary practi­ces are often criticized as a form of civil disobedience that poses a threat to the rule of law, it is also possible to under­stand sanctuary practices as a means through which faith-based communities prevent the state from violating both Canadian and international refugee law, thereby uphold­ing rule-of-law norms.
Unwelcome Guests: The Detention of Refugees in Turkey's "Foreigners' Guesthouses"'
Authors: Levitan Rachel , Kaytaz Esra , Durukan Oktay
Published: June 2020

As European countries bordering the Mediterranean have introduced increasingly harsh measures to stem the flow of irregular migration across their frontiers, Turkey has become one of the main crossroads for flows of migration from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East into Europe.At the same time, as part of Turkey’s accession process, the European Union has stepped up pressure on Turkey to prevent the movement of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees into Europe.As a result of Turkey’s efforts to limit irregular migration flows, thousands of foreign nation­als without travel documents, refugees among them, are detained while attempting to either enter or exit the coun­try illegally.They are primarily held in detention centres, which are officially referred to as “foreigners’ guesthouses.” Turkey’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) severely limits access to detainees in these facilities by international and domestic NGOs and advocates.Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Turkey (HCA), a leading human rights NGO based in Istanbul, has provided legal aid to refugees since 2004 through its Refugee Advocacy and Support Program.Based on inter­views conducted by HCA with forty refugees from seventeen countries, this report examines refugees’ access to proced­ural rights in detention, as well as conditions in “foreigners’ guesthouses.” It identifies gaps between reported practice and standards of treatment set forth in Turkish legislation and international guidelines on detention.
From Political Instrument to Protection Tool? Resettlement of Refugees and North-South Relations
Authors: Bessa Thais
Published: June 2020

Lacking a clear legal definition, the conceptualization and application of durable solutions have been highly influenced by states’ interests that were often at odds with humanitarian concerns on refugee protection.During the Cold War resettlement was perceived as the preferred dur­able solution, although it was selectively applied to differ­ent refugee crises in the South.With the asylum crisis in the 1980s and the end of the Cold War, a new agenda of containment emerged as Northern countries’ interest in receiving refugees declined.During the 1990s voluntary repatriation emerged as a new preferred solution and there was an effort to redefine and adapt resettlement to a new context.This process focused on detaching resettlement from its previous political and immigration character and redefining it as an exclusive protection tool and instrument of international co-operation.Hence, resettlement in the post-Cold War era is characterized by depoliticization, a smaller number of beneficiaries, and geographic expansion. However, it is important to critically question whether such depoliticization has happened in fact, the reasons behind it, and its relation to North-South politics and contain­ment strategies.
Good Material: Canada and the Prague Spring Refugees
Authors: Madokoro Laura
Published: June 2020

In August 1968, the Soviet Union sent troops into Czechoslovakia to crush the burgeoning spirit of reform known as the “Prague Spring”. The Soviet invasion and the return of oppressive government measures triggered the flight of twenty-seven thousand people, eleven thousand of whom came to Canada.Using newly released archival records, this paper explores how the Canadian government approached the refugee crisis and argues that confident officials, buoyed by a charismatic leader and operating in an era of improved East-West relations, manipulated the conventional definition of a refugee and consciously adopted policies that enabled large numbers of Czechoslovakian refugees to resettle in Canada.
Borders of Solidarity: Life in Displacement in the Amazon Tri-Border Region
Authors: Moulin Carolina
Published: June 2020

In 2004, the representatives of Latin American countries, gathered in Mexico City, devised a multilateral Plan of Action (MPA) in order to foster an improvement on refugee protection mechanisms in the region. Among its many proposals, the document advanced the idea of borders of solidarity. The proposal calls attention to new forms of thinking about border zones and border lives and how different actors might dialogue to improve the reception, assistance, and protection of displaced groups in a region marked by deep social inequalities and political violence. This paper is an attempt to make sense of these assumed new modes of governance of borders, trying to elucidate multiple perspectives and mechanisms of dealing with life in displacement in border contexts. The paper follows the narratives stemming from national and international officials, NGO and assistance workers, and displaced families’ associations, in the context of the Tri-Border area between Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The paper aims to unveil how each discourse deals with the (dis)connections between borders, displacement, and protection. I argue that perceptions of the role of borders, as both bridges and barriers, and as spaces of life, vary according to how each group appropriates and interferes in the political dialogue. Some focus on the management of mobility; others on the improvement of life conditions for marginal groups; still others try to interrupt the political processes that make such marginalization possible in the first place. I propose three varying understandings of solidarity that speak to each of these perspectives— managerial, faith-based, and autonomous—stressing the problems and also the positive aspects that might be learned from approaching borders through the lenses of solidarity.
Un/Convention(al) Refugees: Contextualizing the Accounts of Refugees Facing Homophobic or Transphobic Persecution
Authors: Jordan Sharalyn R.
Published: June 2020

Propelled by fear of violence and flight from stigma, impelled by desire for connection and belonging, the movements of people whose sexualities or genders defy and offend norms cover a complex spatial, social, and psychological terrain. This paper presents partial findings of a critical qualitative inquiry conducted in partnership with Rainbow Refugee Committee, a community organization that supports and advocates with Queer, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans (LGBTQ) and HIV-positive refugee claimants/ migrants. This inquiry into how queer refugees engage in settlement comprised participation in Rainbow Refugee Committee and narrative interviews with LGBTQ refugee claimants and refugees, as well as interviews with service providers, community organizers, and lawyers. This paper explores how pre-settlement experiences conditioned possibilities for safety and belonging through refugee protection. While seeking refugee protection, queer refugees are evaluated against expected narratives of refugee flight and of LGBT identity. This paper reflects on the unconventionality of queer refugees’ accounts in relation to these expectations. Queer refugees settling in Canada recounted surviving persecution by dis/avowing their desires, distancing/ taking on available identities, avoiding/seeking out others, and conforming/escaping. They pursued mixed, often precarious, migration trajectories constrained by tightening migration controls and the relative obscurity of refugee protection for sexual or gender-based persecution. In their hearings, they struggled with and against Western cultural narratives of sexual and gender identities, coming out, and gender dysphoria. Interview excerpts highlight relational agencies in claimants’ engagements with the refugee system.
Melancholy Order: Asian Migration and the Globalization of Borders by Adam McKeown
Authors: Mongia Radhika
Published: June 2020

Book Review
Re-theorizing Human Rights through the Refugee: On the Interrelation between Democracy and Global Justice
Authors: Banerjee Kiran
Published: June 2020

Drawing on Habermas’s notion of discourse ethics and agonistic democratic theory I offer an account that attempts to overcome the exclusions revealed by statelessness by appealing to the mutability and contingency of community, as well as the fundamentally unsettled nature of the political. I argue that by placing discourse ethics, as a means to theorize the issues raised by statelessness and the idea of a claim to community, in dialogue with the agonistic emphasis on openness and the contestability of terms, we are provided with potential resources for conceptualizing more open notions of political membership.