Migration Studies Commons^™

How Are Refugees Depicted In The Amarillo Globe-News?, Shannon Reimers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This research uses media analysis to ask how refugees in Amarillo, Texas, are portrayed in the Amarillo Globe-News from 2002 until January 2021. Amarillo, Texas is a small, conservative city with a long history of refugee resettlement. Researching one town, over an extended period, tells a rich story of how refugees are depicted in the local media. This research is important because while the United States takes in refugees on a national level, the local level is where they settle and become long-term members of a community. It shares what a community resettling refugees has to say about them. In …

Preventing Statelessness Among Migrants And Refugee Children In North Africa: The Case Of Egypt, Maysa Ayoub, Nourhan Tewfik

Faculty Journal Articles

Migrants and asylum seekers in Egypt may lack identification papers for a number of reasons. Some have their documents lost or destroyed in the course of the conflict in their home countries, or by smugglers/traffickers during their journey to Egypt. The consequences for lacking identification can be severe and may include the risk of statelessness. Children of migrants also face the risk of statelessness as their parents’ identification documents are a prerequisite for the issuance of their birth certificates. This report is based on the findings of a research project that investigated the identification needs of migrants in Egypt, chiefly …

The Role Of Nations-State In Protecting And Supporting Internally Displaced Persons, Daisy Byers

Master's Theses

The rising increase of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has become a global problem. There are over 40 million internally displaced people globally, and 15.9 million are displaced in Africa. These displacements come into place due to war/conflict, corruption, massive human rights violations, natural disasters, urban renewal projects (at the hands of powerful nations such as America, China, France, UK, etc.), and large-scale development projects. According to UNHCR, refugees are people who have international cross-border. In contrast, internally displaced persons must stay within their own country and stay under the protection of their government, even if the government is the reason …

Refugee Camps Can Wreak Enormous Environmental Damages: Should Source Countries Be Liable For Them?, Leonard Hammer, Saleh Ahmed

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2021

While it may seem that much of the world has been locked down during the past pandemic year, more than 80 million people are currently on the move – unwillingly.

Facing conflict in Syria, human rights violations in Myanmar and violence in Eritrea, among other hot spots, refugees are trying to relocate to North America and Western Europe, or at least to neighboring countries.

'Seeding An Integration And Belonging Hub', Academic Innovation Fund Application, Integration And Belonging Hub

Vision, Mission, & Funding

Contains the application that was submitted for Clark University's Academic Innovation Fund, outlining a proposal for the Integration and Belonging Hub.

Crisis Within A Crisis: A Comparative Analysis Of Covid-19’S Implications On Greece And Spain’S Migrant And Refugee Processing Policies, Injy Elhabrouk

Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic came a collective global panic regarding health, safety, and security. Since the major outbreak of the coronavirus in March of 2020, few issues have received scrutiny and attention in the public sphere. Yet, the problems that existed before COVID-19 have not become obsolete, however, they were removed from the public eye. One such issue to receive less scrutiny is the treatment of the most vulnerable populations in the world—migrants and refugees. Spain and Greece’s locations on the Mediterranean Sea mean they are often the first place migrants seek refuge in their journey to …

A New Beginning: Early Refugee Integration In The United States, Van C. Tran, Francisco Lara-García

Publications and Research

The U.S. refugee population not only has grown dramatically, but the countries from which the refugees are fleeing have also diversified over the last decade. Focusing on five recent refugee groups—Bhutanese, Burmese, Iraqis, Somalis, and Cubans, we examine how premigration characteristics and postmigration integration policies shape early socioeconomic integration in the United States. Our analyses point to three findings. First, early socioeconomic outcomes show only modest differences across refugee groups, despite significant variation in premigration selectivity in human capital. Second, the two possible pathways toward integration are schooling and employment. Third, postmigration integration policies matter. Our findings highlight the role …

Practice-Based Learning: Establishing Simple Monitoring Systems To Support Sgbv Programming In Refugee Settings, Chi-Chi Undie, Josephine Ngebeh, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Michael Gaitho, George Odwe, Nachela Chelwa, Harriet Birungi, Michael Mbizvo

Reproductive Health

Implementers of sexual and gender-based violence programs in refugee settings are typically eager to learn about the extent to which their programs are making a difference in the lives of those they serve. Basic monitoring information can help address this imperative without unduly burdening program implementers with time-consuming evaluations. The Sauti/VOICE project is guiding adaptation and implementation of evidence-based SGBV interventions in refugee contexts. These interventions are implemented by UNHCR partners in eight countries in the East, Horn, and Great Lakes region of Africa. Although Sauti/VOICE is primarily focused on integrating tested SGBV interventions into refugee contexts, monitoring the implementation …

Practice-Based Learning: Medico-Legal Evidence Collection As Part Of Post-Rape Care In Refugee Contexts, Michael Gaitho, Ronald Kotut, Anne Ngunjiri, Jane T. Thiomi, Josephine Ngebeh, Chi-Chi Undie

Reproductive Health

Health care providers collect an array of documentation and specimens to support criminal investigations. Such documentation and specimens are referred to as “medico-legal” or “forensic” evidence, and in the case of rape, include a survivor’s documented injuries and emotional state at the time of examination, as well as samples and specimens from the survivor’s body or clothing. For survivors of rape and defilement who want to obtain legal justice, medico-legal evidence is critical. In African countries, health providers and the police are depended upon to ensure such evidence is collected, but medico-legal evidence collection can present challenges. Evidence-based interventions are …

Migratory Timescapes: Experiences Of Pausing, Waiting, And Inhabiting The Meanwhile Of Migrants And Asylum Seekers In Mexico, Isabel Gil Everaert

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Mexico´s southern border with Guatemala, this dissertation provides insights into contemporary experiences of migration in Mexico by engaging with the notions of movement, control, and settlement from a critical perspective. I explore these experiences through the idea of migratory timescapes, defined as structural temporal-relational contexts in which migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are socially embedded. In the case of this dissertation, I unpack three migratory timescapes which are situated in a regional context of growing displacement and increasingly restrictive migratory and asylum policies, what I call the block-and-wait system.

First, I introduce the idea …

We Do Not Have Borders: Greater Somalia And The Predicaments Of Belonging In Kenya, Bashir Haji

The Journal of Social Encounters

Karen Weitzberg opens her book with a proverb from the early Somali independence era: “wherever the camel goes, that is Somalia.” This quote sets the precedence for the book illustrating Somalis’ rocky relationship with borders. Originally, Somalis were nomadic pastoralists that frequently moved around, crossing borders. However, after many African countries gained independence, new border lines were drawn up. As a result of this new reality, many Somali clans were forced to claim their territorial land and were also shut out from other regions, thereby impacting their way of life. Weitzberg, a Stanford graduate with a background in African and …

A Is For Asylum Seeker / A De Asilo [Toc], Rachel Ida Buff, Alejandra Oliva

Sociology

A clear and concise A to Z of keywords that echo our current human rights crisis

As millions are forced to leave their nations of origin due to political, economic, and environmental peril, rising racism and xenophobia has led to increasingly harsh policies. A mass-mediated political circus obscures both histories of migration and longstanding definitions of words for people on the move, fomenting widespread linguistic confusion. Under this circus tent, there is no regard for history, legal advocacy, or jurisprudence. Yet in a world where the differences between “undocumented migrant” and “asylum seeker” can mean life or death, words have …

Exploring The Overlap: Women Now’S Feminist Humanitarian Support And The Community Of Practice, Judith Bruce, Aisha Dennis

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This conversation took place between Judith Bruce, Senior Associate and Policy Analyst of the Population Council, and Aisha Dennis, former Program Director for Women Now for Development. Women Now for Development’s mission is to initiate programs led by Syrian women that protect Syrian women and children across socioeconomic backgrounds and empower women to find their political voice and participate in building a new, peaceful Syria that respects and safeguards equal rights for all its citizens. Aisha’s impressive breadth of expertise includes conflict resolution and the application of international law through strategic litigation, as well as practical experience in supporting Syrian …

Issue 17: Private Sponsorship In Canada: The Resettlement Of Syrian Refugees In The Kitchener-Waterloo Region, Suzan M. Ilcan, Diana Thomaz, Manuela Jimenez Bueno

International Migration Research Centre

The number of refugees in need of resettlement in the world is estimated to surpass 1.44 million people in 2020, with Syrians currently representing 40% of refugees in need of resettlement. In late 2015, the Canadian government made a commitment to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees and, since then, there has been abundant research analysing the large-scale resettlement process, its successes, limitations, and lessons for future policymaking and host communities.

This Policy Points contributes to these analyses by unpacking the particular lessons from the Kitchener-Waterloo region, and highlighting the resettlement experiences of privately sponsored Syrian refugees in this area. It draws …

Annex To The Report: Refugee Entitlements In Egypt, Amira Hetaba, Claire Mcnally, Elena Habersky

Faculty Journal Articles

This Report maps the legal entitlements of asylum-seekers, refugees, and failed asylum seekers in Egypt under international, regional, bilateral, and domestic laws, examines whether such entitlements are in fact accessible, and makes recommendations for possible future directions. This process is not straightforward because the interplay between legal regimes creates bundles of entitlements that differ depending on one’s immigration status and nationality. Even when laws clearly address the entitlements of asylum-seekers, refugees, and failed asylum-seekers, there is often a gap between entitlements on paper and communities’ ability to access these entitlements. This Report adopts a rights-based approach, assessing asylum-seekers’, refugees’, and …

Refugee Entitlements In Egypt, Amira Hetaba, Claire Mcnally, Elena Habersky

Faculty Journal Articles

Situated at the crossroads between Africa, Asia, and Europe, Egypt hosts diverse communities that seek refuge from persecution in their home state (“asylum-seekers”), some of whom are granted refuge (“refugees”), and some of whom ultimately fail to acquire asylum in Egypt (“failed asylum-seekers”). The Egyptian government delegates its power to determine refugee status to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In 2019, UNHCR stated that there were over 247,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered in Egypt, from 56 different countries of origin. This does not include the numbers of failed asylum-seekers that are supposed to leave Egypt but nevertheless …

The Impact Of The Syrian Influx On Egyptian Migrant Workers In Jordan, Ayman Zohry, Salma Abou Hussein, Darah Hashem

Faculty Journal Articles

Over the past forty years, the situation of the Egyptian labor market has not improved and remains to be the principal factor determining labor migration. In the past decade, creation of job opportunities has lagged behind labor force growth, which has led many to resort to migrating. According to the Egyptian Population Census (2017), Saudi Arabia and Jordan are the main countries of destination for Egyptian migrants. This report tackles the current situation of Egyptian labor migration in one of its major Arab destinations, Jordan. The Syrian crisis in 2011 has generated millions of refugees with Jordan being among the …

Migrants And Refugees: Are They Holding Us Back Or Pushing Us Forward?, Dany Bahar

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled "Migrants and Refugees: Are they holding us back or pushing us forward?" by Brookings Fellow in Global Economy and Development, Dany Bahar. It is often cited that human mobility is key to economic growth and productivity. Evidence also points to the economic costs and benefits of international migration for both the sending and receiving countries. This lecture explores if roads to economic growth and prosperity require restrictions to migration, or quite the contrary.

Egyptian Labour Migration In Jordan, Dina Abdelfattah

Faculty Journal Articles

Over the past forty years, the situation of the Egyptian labour market has not improved and remains to be the principal factor determining labour migration. In the past decade, creation of job opportunities has lagged behind labour force growth, which has led many to resort to migrating. According to the Egyptian Population Census (2017), the total Egyptian migration amounted to 9.5 million, compared to 4.4 million in 2015 with Saudi Arabia and Jordan being the main countries of destination. This report tackles the current situation of Egyptian labour migration in one of its major Arab destinations, Jordan. The figure announced …

Teaching English To Refugees Through Storytelling, Emily Camplejohn

Senior Honors Theses

Many refugees are trying to learn English while assimilating to a new culture. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has identified several needs and goals of refugees including competence in the language of the receiving culture and participation in a new, welcoming community. Storytelling, expressing or receiving a narrative through oral or written communication, can be implemented for teaching English to refugees with these goals and can link academic learning with real life experiences. In addition to using storytelling as a meaningful way to interact with language, storytelling also fosters a community within the classroom. The teacher is …

Understanding The Impact Of The Libyan Conflict On Egyptian Migrants, Sara Sadek

Faculty Journal Articles

Following Egyptian returnees after the Libyan crisis, this paper looks at how the events in Libya in 2011 and 2014-2015 impacted them and their decision to leave the country. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the conditions of Egyptian returnees, the paper also analyzes migration trajectories of returnees by subsequently looking at a) the push factors in Egypt, b) the pull factors in Libya, c) security and economic hazards behind the return in 2011 and 2014/2015 and d) the long-term implications of the return of Egyptian migrants. It tackles support provided by stakeholders and service providers during and after the …

The Global Compact On Refugees: How The Sauti/Voice Project Fits, Josephine Ngebeh, Chi-Chi Undie, Joanina Karugaba

Reproductive Health

How can stakeholders support refugees in the present-day unprecedented global refugee crisis? At least one way is by entering into a clearly defined compact to do so. Developed in 2018, the Global Compact on Refugees is a nonbinding agreement among United Nations Member States and other relevant stakeholders, including international organizations. A symbol of political will, the Compact demonstrates the commitment of the international community to enhanced cooperation and solidarity with both refugees and their host communities. The Global Compact on Refugees provides the international community with guidance for supporting present-day refugee communities, characterized by large populations and protracted refugee …

Sauti/Voice Project: First Unhcr-Population Council Regional Workshop, Josephine Ngebeh, Chi-Chi Undie, Joanina Karugaba, George Odwe, Nachela Chelwa, Harriet Birungi, Michael Mbizvo

Reproductive Health

In 2014, the UNHCR East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes (EHAGL) Africa Bureau in Nairobi, and the Population Council/Nairobi established technical cooperation for Improving Evidence-based Programming for Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Refugee Operations in the East and Horn of Africa. The Africa Bureau works closely with the Council to initiate appropriate interventions for the prevention of, and response to, SGBV in refugee operations. The Council’s technical team is represented by the Council-led Africa Regional SGBV Network. Technical cooperation between the Africa Bureau and the Council has resulted in a new initiative: VOICE—Violence Prevention and Response Through …

Practice-Based Learning: Observations On One-Stop Centers In Refugee Settings, Chi-Chi Undie, Josephine Ngebeh, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Joanina Karugaba

Reproductive Health

One-Stop Centers’ (OSCs) have grown in popularity for responding to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the East, Horn, and Great Lakes regions of Africa. OSCs attempt to provide an integrated, multisectoral response to SGBV survivors’ needs in one location. In resource-constrained settings, the most common services offered at OSCs include health care, psycho-social support, police and judicial services, as well as social support. Studies demonstrate that health-facility-based OSCs that are owned and run by health-facility staff are more effective than NGO-run OSCs in achieving the broadest range of desired health and legal outcomes for SGBV survivors. In collaboration with …

Practice-Based Learning: Integrating Sgbv Screening Into Health Facilities In Refugee Contexts, Chi-Chi Undie, Josephine Ngebeh, Joanina Karugaba, Harriet Birungi, Michael Mbizvo

Reproductive Health

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) “screening” refers to the standardized assessment of clients for SGBV incidents, regardless of reasons for presenting at a health facility. This practice has been shown to be feasible and effective in various countries and contexts in the East and Southern African region, resulting in proactive identification of female survivors, and their successful referrals for comprehensive SGBV care. In the last decade, health facilities in the region have been increasingly eager to incorporate such screening within the normal protocols of their health-care providers. In collaboration with the Population Council-led Africa Regional SGBV Network, the UNHCR East, …

Response And Responsibilities Of The Republic Of Macedonia In The Migrant And Refugees Crises, Toni Mileski

New England Journal of Public Policy

The Republic of Macedonia has had a long history of dealing with migrants and refugees. Since the late nineteenth century, conflicts, including the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), the First and Second World Wars, the Greek civil war (1945–1949), the Kosovo conflict, and the 2001 internal security crisis, have caused successive waves of migration. More recently, armed conflict in the Middle East, especially in Syria, caused a migrant and refugee crisis that has deeply affected the country. This article analyses how the Republic of Macedonia has responded to this crisis. It examines the initial period of the crisis, the measures, activities, and …

Managing Migration: The Balkans United Against Refugees, Hedvig Morvai, Dragan Djokovic

New England Journal of Public Policy

In 2015, alone, almost a million refugees sought to reach Northwestern Europe by traveling from Turkey, through Greece and Macedonia, and then across Serbia, Hungary, or Croatia, following what became known as the Balkan route. Despite the numerous problems associated with this route, it remained functional until March 8, 2016, when the EU member states reached a deal with Turkey that has put a stop to this particular migrants’ itinerary.

Like the member states of the European Union, the Balkan countries have been dealing with migration problems in an obsolete manner. Wars and their attendant difficulties in Serbia, Croatia, and …

Migration And Conflict, Padraig O’Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

The United Nations is ill-equipped to prevent, much less end, intrastate conflicts. Today’s conflicts and an explosive mix of other interrelated causes—including violence, famine, extreme poverty, climate-related disasters and political oppression—have led to a global migration and population-displacement crisis. This article examines the intersection of conflict and migration. It presents the data on migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and exposes the rise of extreme nationalist tendencies in the West—in particular, Europe, where several measures to stem the flow of refugees have been imposed. The article concludes with a warning about global poverty and marginalization—a prescription for violent conflict …

Causes And Consequences Of Child Marriage Among Syrian Refugee Populations In Jordan: An Investigation Of Perceptions., Alex Buckman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examined the perceived causes of child marriage among Syrian refugee populations in Jordan and investigated its perceived consequences. Further, perceptions of mothers with school-aged children were compared to the opinions of children themselves. Through interviews with both target populations, along with an analysis of the responses of humanitarian activists and organizations to Jordan’s marriage law, the reality of child marriage within the country was ascertained. In conducting interviews, the data showed that many believed child marriage to be a normal occurrence in Syria, at least since the beginning of the war, with only two interviewees believing child marriage …

Becoming United Statesian: Experiences Of Newly Resettled Iraqi Refugees And Iraqi Immigrants, Bnar Mustafa

Institute for the Humanities Master's Papers, Projects, and Capstones

The differences between refugees’ dreams before and after coming to the United States of America is often shocking. One might ask, “Isn’t America the country of the refugees?” The United States is the largest nation built by refugees and immigrants, yet recently resettled refugees or “new Americans” struggle in multiple and overlapping ways to reach successful resettlement. Some of the challenges they face are inherent to resettlement, others come from the socialization process, and the interplay of human beings as they exist together. Language and culture shock are the natural struggles that any internationally-relocated person experiences. The challenges that stem …