There are several journal articles in the IngentaConnect database that focus on refugee doctors in the UK for which the full-text is made available on a complimentary basis. The most recent is:
- "Re-training refugee and other overseas doctors: re-qualification through the United Examining Board examination," by Eastwood, John B. et al., Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians, Volume 6, Number 1, January/February 2006, pp. 51-56(6) [text]
[Note: As of April 5, the a/m text is no longer available free of charge. The policy of the Royal College of Physicians is that free access to issues of Clinical Medicine kicks in after a year. The temporary free access to the current edition must have been an oversight on the part of Ingenta.]
Earlier articles include:
- "'… a stranger in a strange land': The plight of refugee doctors in the UK," by Trewby, Peter N., Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians, Volume 5, Number 4, July/August 2005, pp. 317-319(3) [text]
- "Refugee doctors," by Bishop, M. and A. Appelbaum, Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 86, Number 6, 1 June 2004, pp. 199-199(1) [text]
The National Health Service recently prepared a toolkit to support refugee health professionals that have settled in the UK.
Other organizations in the UK have mandates to assist refugee academics and refugees with professional qualifications, or to re-train refugees.
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
31 March 2006
30 March 2006
Guidelines on Iraqi Asylum Seekers/Refugees
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) has updated its Guidelines on the Treatment of Iraqi Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe. The last guidelines were issued in April 2004. The focus is on the return of Iraqi asylum seekers. Specifically, ECRE "urges European states not to return Iraqis to Iraq or other countries in the region unless a person expresses a strong desire to return voluntarily and has access to accurate information on conditions in their home area."
UNHCR also prepared a set of Guidelines Relating to the Eligibility of Iraqi Asylum-Seekers in October 2005.
There are numerous country profiles, background reports, and news sources with information on the situation in Iraq that one can consult. Many can be located by following the links from UNHCR's country menu or FMO's resource summary. Another reference that can be used to assess "conditions in the home area" is the Brookings Institution's Iraq Index, a "statistical compilation of economic, public opinion, and security data...[that provides] updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength."
Posted in Publications.
UNHCR also prepared a set of Guidelines Relating to the Eligibility of Iraqi Asylum-Seekers in October 2005.
There are numerous country profiles, background reports, and news sources with information on the situation in Iraq that one can consult. Many can be located by following the links from UNHCR's country menu or FMO's resource summary. Another reference that can be used to assess "conditions in the home area" is the Brookings Institution's Iraq Index, a "statistical compilation of economic, public opinion, and security data...[that provides] updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength."
Posted in Publications.
29 March 2006
Recent Research in the Journal Literature
A selected list of recently published articles in non-forced migration journals. Links to abstracts or full-text are provided, if available.
Bash, Leslie and Elena Zezlina-Phillips (March 2006), "Identity, boundary and schooling: perspectives on the experiences and perceptions of refugee children," Intercultural Education, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 113-128.
Beamon, Benita and Stephen Kotleba (March 2006), "Inventory modelling for complex emergencies in humanitarian relief operations," International Journal of Logistics, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1-18.
Grønseth, Anne Sigfrid (April 2006), "Experiences of Tensions in Re-orienting Selves: Tamil Refugees in Northern Norway Seeking Medical Advice," Anthropology & Medicine, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 77-98.
Habib, Rima et al. (April 2006), "Harboring illnesses: On the association between disease and living conditions in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon," International Journal of Environmental Health Research, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 99-111.
Hart, Jason (Feb. 2006), "Saving children: What role for anthropology?" Anthropology Today, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 5-8.
Ichikawa, Masao et al. (April 2006), "Effect of post-migration detention on mental health among Afghan asylum seekers in Japan," Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 341-346.
Stoddard, Abby and Adele Harmer (March 2006), "Little Room to Maneuver: The Challenges to Humanitarian Action in the New Global Security Environment," Journal of Human Development, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 23-41.
Uçarer, Emek M. (April 2006), "Burden-Shirking, Burden-Shifting, and Burden-Sharing in the Emergent European Asylum Regime," International Politics, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 219-240.
Posted in Publications.
Bash, Leslie and Elena Zezlina-Phillips (March 2006), "Identity, boundary and schooling: perspectives on the experiences and perceptions of refugee children," Intercultural Education, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 113-128.
Beamon, Benita and Stephen Kotleba (March 2006), "Inventory modelling for complex emergencies in humanitarian relief operations," International Journal of Logistics, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1-18.
Grønseth, Anne Sigfrid (April 2006), "Experiences of Tensions in Re-orienting Selves: Tamil Refugees in Northern Norway Seeking Medical Advice," Anthropology & Medicine, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 77-98.
Habib, Rima et al. (April 2006), "Harboring illnesses: On the association between disease and living conditions in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon," International Journal of Environmental Health Research, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 99-111.
Hart, Jason (Feb. 2006), "Saving children: What role for anthropology?" Anthropology Today, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 5-8.
Ichikawa, Masao et al. (April 2006), "Effect of post-migration detention on mental health among Afghan asylum seekers in Japan," Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 341-346.
Stoddard, Abby and Adele Harmer (March 2006), "Little Room to Maneuver: The Challenges to Humanitarian Action in the New Global Security Environment," Journal of Human Development, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 23-41.
Uçarer, Emek M. (April 2006), "Burden-Shirking, Burden-Shifting, and Burden-Sharing in the Emergent European Asylum Regime," International Politics, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 219-240.
Posted in Publications.
Recent Research Papers
Working papers and research reports from academic institutes/think tanks:
- Between care and control: Interaction between refugees and caseworkers within the Norwegian refugee integration programme, Sussex Migration Working Paper no. 32 (March 2006) [text]
- Refugees and Emergency Thresholds in 2005: A data review of field surveys in 2005 from Complex Emergency Database (CE-DAT), CE-DAT Brief: Issue 1 (March 2006) [text]
- Resetting the rules of engagement: Trends and issues in military-humanitarian relations, HPG Report no. 21 (March 2006) [text]
- Stranger Movements: Working through Racialized and Gendered Mobility in the Canadian Context, CRS Working Paper Series no. 4 (2006) [text]
Also, the UK development research reporting service, id21, provides summaries of recent research on "conflict and emergencies" in their March 2006 research highlight.
Posted in Publications.
28 March 2006
U.S. Immigration Reform
To follow developments in the U.S. immigration reform debate, visit BNA's current awareness resource.
The upcoming 3rd Annual Immigration Law & Policy Conference will discuss immigration reform at Georgetown University Law Center, 28 April 2006. Last year's conference report is available for comparative purposes.
Other resources that analyze and/or evaluate current proposals include:
- The Battle to Reform Our Nation’s Immigration System [web page]
- Comprehensive Immigration Reform [web page]
- “Comprehensive” Legislation vs. Fundamental Reform: The Limits of Current Immigration Proposals (Jan. 2006) [text]
- Side-By-Side Chart for Major Immigration Legislation Pending in 109th Congress
- US Immigration Reform: Can the System Be Repaired? (Jan. 2006) [text]
General immigraton resource:
- ILW.com, the Immigration Portal - http://www.immigrationdaily.com/
Posted in Publications.
The upcoming 3rd Annual Immigration Law & Policy Conference will discuss immigration reform at Georgetown University Law Center, 28 April 2006. Last year's conference report is available for comparative purposes.
Other resources that analyze and/or evaluate current proposals include:
- The Battle to Reform Our Nation’s Immigration System [web page]
- Comprehensive Immigration Reform [web page]
- “Comprehensive” Legislation vs. Fundamental Reform: The Limits of Current Immigration Proposals (Jan. 2006) [text]
- Side-By-Side Chart for Major Immigration Legislation Pending in 109th Congress
- US Immigration Reform: Can the System Be Repaired? (Jan. 2006) [text]
General immigraton resource:
- ILW.com, the Immigration Portal - http://www.immigrationdaily.com/
Posted in Publications.
Human Trafficking Study
A report from the Future Group evaluated the compliance of selected jurisdictions with their international obligations under the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ("Trafficking Protocol"). The authors found that the UK and Canada came up short. The study also "provides a comparative analysis of best practices in the jurisdictions that are under review."
Read "Falling Short of the Mark: An International Study on the Treatment of Human Trafficking Victims" (March 2006)
For more information about the scope of the human trafficking problem in specific countries, refer to the "human rights reports" from the Protection Project (use the "quick navigate" drop-down menu).
The April 2006 issue of Forced Migration Review will focus on human smuggling and trafficking in partnership with the Global Alliance against Traffic in Women.
Posted in Publications.
Read "Falling Short of the Mark: An International Study on the Treatment of Human Trafficking Victims" (March 2006)
For more information about the scope of the human trafficking problem in specific countries, refer to the "human rights reports" from the Protection Project (use the "quick navigate" drop-down menu).
The April 2006 issue of Forced Migration Review will focus on human smuggling and trafficking in partnership with the Global Alliance against Traffic in Women.
Posted in Publications.
27 March 2006
Gender Guidelines
The Refugee Women's Resource Project (RWRP) produced a report that examined the extent to which the UK Home Office has incorporated gender considerations into its Asylum Policy Instructions. Findings and recommendations are provided in "‘Lip service’ or implementation?
The Home Office Gender Guidance and women’s asylum claims in the UK" (March 2006).
A copy of the UK's "Gender Issues in the Asylum Claim" is available here.
Links to asylum gender guidelines produced by other governments are provided on the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies web site, along with many other useful information resources.
Another recent report looks more generally at "extent to which Australian refugee law has developed to include claims of sexual and gender-based persecution." "Global Migration and Gender Network, Feb. 2006.
Posted in Publications.
The Home Office Gender Guidance and women’s asylum claims in the UK" (March 2006).
A copy of the UK's "Gender Issues in the Asylum Claim" is available here.
Links to asylum gender guidelines produced by other governments are provided on the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies web site, along with many other useful information resources.
Another recent report looks more generally at "extent to which Australian refugee law has developed to include claims of sexual and gender-based persecution." "Global Migration and Gender Network, Feb. 2006.
Posted in Publications.
Recent Literature Reviews/Bibliographies
Attitudes towards Asylum Seekers, and other Immigrants: A Literature Review for the Commission for Racial Equality (Feb. 2006) [text]
- Prepared by ICAR; more information about the project is available here.
Refugee and Migrant Needs: an annotated bibliography of research and consultations (Feb. 2006) [text]
- Prepared for New Zealand's refugee resettlement agency.
Refugee Livelihoods: A Review of the Evidence, EPAU/2006/04 (Feb. 2006) [text]
- From UNHCR’s Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit.
Posted in Publications.
- Prepared by ICAR; more information about the project is available here.
Refugee and Migrant Needs: an annotated bibliography of research and consultations (Feb. 2006) [text]
- Prepared for New Zealand's refugee resettlement agency.
Refugee Livelihoods: A Review of the Evidence, EPAU/2006/04 (Feb. 2006) [text]
- From UNHCR’s Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit.
Posted in Publications.
24 March 2006
Commission on Human Rights to be abolished
The Commission on Human Rights will be abolished after it completes the work of its 62nd session. The Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution to this effect without a vote on 22 March 2006. Read a related UN news story here.
The CHR will be replaced by a Human Rights Council. Foreign Policy posted an article about the new entity entitled, "A Human Rights Body Worth Backing" (23 March 2006).
Posted in Publications.
The CHR will be replaced by a Human Rights Council. Foreign Policy posted an article about the new entity entitled, "A Human Rights Body Worth Backing" (23 March 2006).
Posted in Publications.
23 March 2006
New periodical issues re. EU law, migration, world affairs, housing rights
European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 7, no. 4 (2005) [contents]
- This issue includes the articles "Common EU Standards on Asylum – Optional Harmonisation and Exclusive Procedures?" and "The Concept of 'Mass Influx of Displaced Persons' in the European Directive Establishing the Temporary Protection System."
The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, vol. 30, no. 1 (Winter 2006) [contents, selected full-text]
- 30th anniversary edition; includes sub-sections on Sudan, UN reform, post-conflict societies, learning from disasters, among others.
Housing and ESC Rights Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 1 (March 2006) [full-text]
- Published by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions.
Studi Emigrazione, vol. 43, no. 1 (March 2006) [contents]
- Theme is "women, emigration and emancipation."
Posted in Periodicals.
- This issue includes the articles "Common EU Standards on Asylum – Optional Harmonisation and Exclusive Procedures?" and "The Concept of 'Mass Influx of Displaced Persons' in the European Directive Establishing the Temporary Protection System."
The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, vol. 30, no. 1 (Winter 2006) [contents, selected full-text]
- 30th anniversary edition; includes sub-sections on Sudan, UN reform, post-conflict societies, learning from disasters, among others.
Housing and ESC Rights Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 1 (March 2006) [full-text]
- Published by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions.
Studi Emigrazione, vol. 43, no. 1 (March 2006) [contents]
- Theme is "women, emigration and emancipation."
Posted in Periodicals.
22 March 2006
Global Overview of IDP Situation
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC, formerly the Global IDP Project) has just released its annual report on the situation of IDPs. Entitled "Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and Developments in 2005," the report includes a map showing the location of IDP populations around the world; thematic chapters covering such topics as health, women, children, property issues, non-state actors, among others; and regional overviews. The annex provides a statistical table showing the number of IDPs per country.
Posted in Publications.
Posted in Publications.
New Journal Issues re. Emergencies, Refugees, Migration, Peace
Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 21, no. 1 (Feb. 2006)
[full-text]
AWR Bulletin, vol. 43, no. 4 (2005)
[scroll down to see contents]
Hommes et Migrations, no. 1259 (janvier février 2006)
[contents, selected full-text]
International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, vol. 23, no. 3 (Nov. 2005)
[contents; one focus of this issue is the future of disaster research]
International Migration Review, vol. 40, no. 1 (Feb. 2006)
[contents; theme for this issue is "Gender and Migration Revisited"; note that IMR is now being published by Blackwell]
Journal of Peace Research, vol. 43, no. 2 (March 2006)
[contents]
Migration Letters, vol. 3, no. 1 (April 2006)
[full-text]
Migration News Sheet: Monthly Information Bulletin on Immigrants, Refugees and Ethnic Minorities (March 2006)
[overview]
Posted in Periodicals.
[full-text]
AWR Bulletin, vol. 43, no. 4 (2005)
[scroll down to see contents]
Hommes et Migrations, no. 1259 (janvier février 2006)
[contents, selected full-text]
International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, vol. 23, no. 3 (Nov. 2005)
[contents; one focus of this issue is the future of disaster research]
International Migration Review, vol. 40, no. 1 (Feb. 2006)
[contents; theme for this issue is "Gender and Migration Revisited"; note that IMR is now being published by Blackwell]
Journal of Peace Research, vol. 43, no. 2 (March 2006)
[contents]
Migration Letters, vol. 3, no. 1 (April 2006)
[full-text]
Migration News Sheet: Monthly Information Bulletin on Immigrants, Refugees and Ethnic Minorities (March 2006)
[overview]
Posted in Periodicals.
21 March 2006
New IDP Reports
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Refugee Law Project have issued a report examining the extent to which the recommendations of the former UN IDP Special Representative regarding the internal displacement situation in Uganda have been implemented. A press release provides a brief summary of the report, "Only Peace Can Restore the Confidence of the Displaced" (March 2006).
The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement has posted documents/statements from two recent conferences:
- Panel on Internal Displacement and the Marsh Arabs of Iraq (1 March 2006)
- UNDP Internally Displaced Persons Conference, Ankara (23 Feb. 2006)
More information about the latter conference is available in UNDP Turkey's newsletter. As the IDMC reports, the Turkish government has launched a national IDP framework which is fairly consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
IDMC also reports that Nepal has plans to adopt a new IDP policy in line with the UN Guiding Principles. Earlier this year, the country's Supreme Court ordered the government to provide relief to displaced persons.
Posted in Publications.
The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement has posted documents/statements from two recent conferences:
- Panel on Internal Displacement and the Marsh Arabs of Iraq (1 March 2006)
- UNDP Internally Displaced Persons Conference, Ankara (23 Feb. 2006)
More information about the latter conference is available in UNDP Turkey's newsletter. As the IDMC reports, the Turkish government has launched a national IDP framework which is fairly consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
IDMC also reports that Nepal has plans to adopt a new IDP policy in line with the UN Guiding Principles. Earlier this year, the country's Supreme Court ordered the government to provide relief to displaced persons.
Posted in Publications.
20 March 2006
New Reports: Women; Trafficking; Asylum
The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children has published a report entitled "Beyond Firewood: Fuel Alternatives and Protection Strategies for Displaced Women and Girls." Two case studies for the report are also provided for Darfur and Nepal.
Two reports focus on trafficking:
- Hope Betrayed: An Analysis of women victims of trafficking and their claims for asylum (POPPY Project and the Refugee Women’s Resource Project, Feb. 2006).
- Report on Activities to Combat Human Trafficking: Fiscal Years 2001-2005 (U.S. Department of Justice, Feb. 2006).
A House of Commons report reviews UK policy and procedures for "Returning failed asylum applicants" (March 2006).
Finally, after conducting research in 20 countries, ECRE reports its findings on the Dublin II system (March 2006).
Posted in Publications.
Two reports focus on trafficking:
- Hope Betrayed: An Analysis of women victims of trafficking and their claims for asylum (POPPY Project and the Refugee Women’s Resource Project, Feb. 2006).
- Report on Activities to Combat Human Trafficking: Fiscal Years 2001-2005 (U.S. Department of Justice, Feb. 2006).
A House of Commons report reviews UK policy and procedures for "Returning failed asylum applicants" (March 2006).
Finally, after conducting research in 20 countries, ECRE reports its findings on the Dublin II system (March 2006).
Posted in Publications.
Asylum Statistics
UNHCR reported Friday (17 March 2006) that the "number of asylum seekers arriving in all industrialized countries has fallen by half" in the last five years. More details are provided in the complete report entitled "Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries, 2005."
The Migration Information Source offers a Global Data Center which provides, among other things, figures for the "Annual number of asylum applications by nationality." Currently, the countries for which data are provided are located in Europe and North America; Australia is also included. A separate data tool allows users to "analyze the numbers and origins of asylum seekers over 24 years."
Links are provided to other statistical sources.
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
The Migration Information Source offers a Global Data Center which provides, among other things, figures for the "Annual number of asylum applications by nationality." Currently, the countries for which data are provided are located in Europe and North America; Australia is also included. A separate data tool allows users to "analyze the numbers and origins of asylum seekers over 24 years."
Links are provided to other statistical sources.
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
18 March 2006
Country Facts and Figures
I mentioned the Library of Congress Country Profiles in a previous post. Here are a few other new or newly updated resources that report country facts and figures:
National Trends in Population, Resources, Environmentand Development 2005: Country Profiles (UN Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Div., 2006) [text]
SIPRI Yearbook 2005: Armaments, Disarmament andInternational Security, Pocket-size Summary Editions (SIPRI) [access page]
- Available in 7 languages; made available March 2006.
The World Factbook 2005 (CIA) [text]
- Updated Jan. 2006
(Thanks to the Human Security Gateway and ResourceShelf for these references.)
Examples of other country resources that are updated regularly on the web:
Country Briefings (The Economist) [menu page]
- Update date displayed; some linked articles are subscription-access only.
Country Profiles (BBC) [menu page]
- Update date displayed.
Guía del Mundo (Instituto del Tercer Mundo) [menu page]
- Published biennially, no update date displayed.
Posted in Publications.
National Trends in Population, Resources, Environmentand Development 2005: Country Profiles (UN Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Div., 2006) [text]
SIPRI Yearbook 2005: Armaments, Disarmament andInternational Security, Pocket-size Summary Editions (SIPRI) [access page]
- Available in 7 languages; made available March 2006.
The World Factbook 2005 (CIA) [text]
- Updated Jan. 2006
(Thanks to the Human Security Gateway and ResourceShelf for these references.)
Examples of other country resources that are updated regularly on the web:
Country Briefings (The Economist) [menu page]
- Update date displayed; some linked articles are subscription-access only.
Country Profiles (BBC) [menu page]
- Update date displayed.
Guía del Mundo (Instituto del Tercer Mundo) [menu page]
- Published biennially, no update date displayed.
Posted in Publications.
17 March 2006
New Journal Issues: JRS, RSQ
Tables of contents for the latest issues of the Journal of Refugee Studies (vol. 19, no. 1, March 2006) and Refugee Survey Quarterly (vol. 25, no. 1, 2006) have been posted online by OUP.
JRS includes articles on Australian conversations about refugees, refugee law in Brazil, UNHCR RSD in Egypt, Somali refugees in Norway, and ethnic riots in Kosovo.
The RSQ issue focuses on EXCOM 2005 and reproduces the principal documents and reports. It also provides a bibliography on EXCOM, along with its regular abstracts and books received sections.
Posted in Periodicals.
JRS includes articles on Australian conversations about refugees, refugee law in Brazil, UNHCR RSD in Egypt, Somali refugees in Norway, and ethnic riots in Kosovo.
The RSQ issue focuses on EXCOM 2005 and reproduces the principal documents and reports. It also provides a bibliography on EXCOM, along with its regular abstracts and books received sections.
Posted in Periodicals.
16 March 2006
New UN Human Rights Council
By an overwhelming majority, the UN General Assembly voted March 15, 2006, to establish a new Human Rights Council. This will replace the existing Commission on Human Rights.
For more information, see the UN Pulse post, Amnesty International's press release, Human Rights Watch's statement, and comments from the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights also has background information about the discussions that led to the establishment of the new council.
Posted in Publications.
For more information, see the UN Pulse post, Amnesty International's press release, Human Rights Watch's statement, and comments from the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights also has background information about the discussions that led to the establishment of the new council.
Posted in Publications.
14 March 2006
Humanitarian Law Guide
I plan to highlight different reference sources that I come across while compiling the guide that I mentioned in a previous post. For example:
The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, by Françoise Bouchet-Saulnier (Rowman & Littlefield, English ed., 2002)
- Written for both practitioners and researchers, this guide is organized alphabetically by the terms and concepts that are relevant to international humanitarian law. Each entry includes a definition and/or background information, cross-references, contact details where relevant, and often, a brief bibliography for more information. The publisher's order page for this title includes a table of contents, sample entries, and reviews.
IRIN interviewed the author as part of its web special on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Posted in Publications.
The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, by Françoise Bouchet-Saulnier (Rowman & Littlefield, English ed., 2002)
- Written for both practitioners and researchers, this guide is organized alphabetically by the terms and concepts that are relevant to international humanitarian law. Each entry includes a definition and/or background information, cross-references, contact details where relevant, and often, a brief bibliography for more information. The publisher's order page for this title includes a table of contents, sample entries, and reviews.
IRIN interviewed the author as part of its web special on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Posted in Publications.
Student Conference on Forced Migration
The annual forced migration student conference provides a forum for postgraduates (MA/MSc/MPhil/PhD, etc.) to meet and share their research and academic experiences. The fourth conference will be held 18-19 March 2006 at the University of East London. Abstracts and/or papers from the first, second, and third conferences are online for reference purposes.
Posted in Publications and Events & Opportunities.
Posted in Publications and Events & Opportunities.
13 March 2006
Forced Migration Reference Guide
I received a Carnegie-Whitney grant from the American Library Association (ALA) which I will be using to compile a guide to information resources relating to refugees and forced migration. To that end, I will be tracking down details about a variety of reference materials in both print and electronic formats. Here are some examples of the type of resources I'm referring to:
Bibliographies/Literature Reviews:
- Psychosocial Concepts in Humanitarian Work with Children: A Review of the Concepts and Related Literature (National Academies Press, 2003)
- Selected Bibliography on the Global Crisis of Internal Displacement (Brookings, 2001)
Dictionaries/Glossaries:
- Glossary of Humanitarian Terms in relation to the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (OCHA, 2003)
- Historical Dictionary of Refugee and Disaster Relief Organizations, 2nd Ed. (Scarecrow Press, 2000)
Directories:
- Directory of NGOs Working on Refugee Issues in Africa
Encyclopedias:
- Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World (Springer, 2004)
- Immigration and Asylum: From 1900 to the Present (ABC-CLIO, 2005)
Literature/Document Collections:
- Forced Migration Digital Library (FMO)
- The Refugee Council Archive at UEL
...among many others.
Why are these so important? They distill large amounts of information, define and explain important concepts, and/or help to locate and identify materials of interest. They are, therefore, invaluable for gaining entree to a field of knowledge, for learning what's available where, for facilitating access to information, and for contributing to the research process.
Posted in Publications.
Bibliographies/Literature Reviews:
- Psychosocial Concepts in Humanitarian Work with Children: A Review of the Concepts and Related Literature (National Academies Press, 2003)
- Selected Bibliography on the Global Crisis of Internal Displacement (Brookings, 2001)
Dictionaries/Glossaries:
- Glossary of Humanitarian Terms in relation to the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (OCHA, 2003)
- Historical Dictionary of Refugee and Disaster Relief Organizations, 2nd Ed. (Scarecrow Press, 2000)
Directories:
- Directory of NGOs Working on Refugee Issues in Africa
Encyclopedias:
- Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World (Springer, 2004)
- Immigration and Asylum: From 1900 to the Present (ABC-CLIO, 2005)
Literature/Document Collections:
- Forced Migration Digital Library (FMO)
- The Refugee Council Archive at UEL
...among many others.
Why are these so important? They distill large amounts of information, define and explain important concepts, and/or help to locate and identify materials of interest. They are, therefore, invaluable for gaining entree to a field of knowledge, for learning what's available where, for facilitating access to information, and for contributing to the research process.
Posted in Publications.
10 March 2006
Finding out about New Books/Research Literature
Accession lists such as those posted by the RSC library are one way to find out about new research literature. The UNHCR library compiles similar lists. What are some other online resources to refer to?
Digests of relevant publications
http://www.icar.org.uk/?lid=5111
- The Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK (ICAR) provides access to “summaries of reports, books and other publications that we feel might be of interest to professionals and others involved with asylum seekers and refugees in the UK.” Browse or search by geographic region/subject.
Ethnic Conflict Research Digest
http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/services/ecrd/
- This resource from INCORE “publishes peer reviews of recently published books, journal articles and research papers on the dynamics and management of ethnic conflict.” Searchable archive.
H-Net Reviews in the Humanities and Social Sciences
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/
- Reviews of books, articles and multimedia materials. Subscribe to email announcements of new reviews, or add RSS feed. Searchable archive.
Human Rights and Human Welfare: An International Review of Books and Other Publications
http://www.du.edu/gsis/hrhw/
- This publication “publishes thematic review essays, book notes, topical review digests and hosts a working papers website.” Also lists books received from publishers. What’s new email list available. Not searchable.
Another feature to take advantage of is publisher alerts. Most journal publishers will email table of contents alerts to users. Increasingly, they are also offering RSS feeds (see previous post). For example, OUP offers RSS feeds for new issues of IJRL, IngentaConnect to subscribe to RSS feeds. This list highlights journal publishers that offer feeds.
Similarly, Amazon offers an option to be notified about new book titles that match a particular search. For example, conduct a search on "refugees" in the books section. The results page will include an "Amazon.com Alerts" item in the sidebar on the right that allows you to enter your email address for notification of new book releases about "refugees."
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
Digests of relevant publications
http://www.icar.org.uk/?lid=5111
- The Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK (ICAR) provides access to “summaries of reports, books and other publications that we feel might be of interest to professionals and others involved with asylum seekers and refugees in the UK.” Browse or search by geographic region/subject.
Ethnic Conflict Research Digest
http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/services/ecrd/
- This resource from INCORE “publishes peer reviews of recently published books, journal articles and research papers on the dynamics and management of ethnic conflict.” Searchable archive.
H-Net Reviews in the Humanities and Social Sciences
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/
- Reviews of books, articles and multimedia materials. Subscribe to email announcements of new reviews, or add RSS feed. Searchable archive.
Human Rights and Human Welfare: An International Review of Books and Other Publications
http://www.du.edu/gsis/hrhw/
- This publication “publishes thematic review essays, book notes, topical review digests and hosts a working papers website.” Also lists books received from publishers. What’s new email list available. Not searchable.
Another feature to take advantage of is publisher alerts. Most journal publishers will email table of contents alerts to users. Increasingly, they are also offering RSS feeds (see previous post). For example, OUP offers RSS feeds for new issues of IJRL, IngentaConnect to subscribe to RSS feeds. This list highlights journal publishers that offer feeds.
Similarly, Amazon offers an option to be notified about new book titles that match a particular search. For example, conduct a search on "refugees" in the books section. The results page will include an "Amazon.com Alerts" item in the sidebar on the right that allows you to enter your email address for notification of new book releases about "refugees."
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
09 March 2006
Guide to Forced Migration Periodicals
I recently updated my Guide to Forced Migration Periodicals (March 2006) and the revised version is now online on Forced Migration Online (FMO).
The Guide highlights journals and newsletters that focus on forced migration, humanitarian assistance, human rights, and migration and ethnic relations. Both full-text and contents/abstracts-only titles are listed.
Also listed are links to other periodicals collections in related areas, e.g., conflict studies, social sciences, etc. Journal indexes (i.e., resources that help users find individual articles) are noted in the last section.
Posted to Periodicals and Web Sites/Tools.
The Guide highlights journals and newsletters that focus on forced migration, humanitarian assistance, human rights, and migration and ethnic relations. Both full-text and contents/abstracts-only titles are listed.
Also listed are links to other periodicals collections in related areas, e.g., conflict studies, social sciences, etc. Journal indexes (i.e., resources that help users find individual articles) are noted in the last section.
Posted to Periodicals and Web Sites/Tools.
Finding Journal Articles
I have posted previously about journal indexes and databases, here and here. A few additional resources that have come to my attention include:
CiteULike - http://www.citeulike.org/journals- Allows you to search both journal titles and journal contents and provides links to document delivery services.
FreeFullText.com - http://www.freefulltext.com/- This service lists and links to over 7000 journal titles that make some content available for free online. For many, it might just be one free sample issue, but other titles provide the complete full-text for free. Note that you may need to first register with the publisher before you can access the free content.
Open J-Gate - http://www.openj-gate.com - This database provides access to the complete text of online journals. Users can search the complete text or search for/browse through journal titles.
Posted to Periodicals and Web Sites/Tools.
CiteULike - http://www.citeulike.org/journals- Allows you to search both journal titles and journal contents and provides links to document delivery services.
FreeFullText.com - http://www.freefulltext.com/- This service lists and links to over 7000 journal titles that make some content available for free online. For many, it might just be one free sample issue, but other titles provide the complete full-text for free. Note that you may need to first register with the publisher before you can access the free content.
Open J-Gate - http://www.openj-gate.com - This database provides access to the complete text of online journals. Users can search the complete text or search for/browse through journal titles.
Posted to Periodicals and Web Sites/Tools.
08 March 2006
2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
The U.S. State Department's latest annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices is now online. The report surveys human rights violations that occurred during 2005 in 196 countries. Previous reports are also available on the site.
Posted in Publications.
Posted in Publications.
International Women's Day
International Women's Day is commemorated annually on March 8. This year's official theme is "women in decision-making."
Forced migration-related resources relating to the empowerment of women can be found here:
- Center for Gender and Refugee Studies site
- Forced Migration Online, Resource Summary on women page
- HREA, International Women's Day page
- IDMC, Women & Children page
- ReliefWeb, Policy & Issues relating to gender page
- RHRC Consortium site
- UNHCR, Refugee Women page
- Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children site
- Women's Human Rights Net (WHRnet)
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
Forced migration-related resources relating to the empowerment of women can be found here:
- Center for Gender and Refugee Studies site
- Forced Migration Online, Resource Summary on women page
- HREA, International Women's Day page
- IDMC, Women & Children page
- ReliefWeb, Policy & Issues relating to gender page
- RHRC Consortium site
- UNHCR, Refugee Women page
- Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children site
- Women's Human Rights Net (WHRnet)
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
07 March 2006
Humanitarian Reform Developments
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently prepared an Update on Humanitarian Reform (March 2006). The update describes the humanitarian reform programme that has been adopted based on recommendations made in the Humanitarian Response Review (Aug. 2005), an independent study commissioned by the Emergency Relief Coordinator and supported by the Secretary-General in his June 2005 report on strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance. It comprises three components: strengthening the humanitarian response capacity through the “cluster” approach, strengthening the Humanitarian Coordinator System, and ensuring predictable funding through a modernized Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) (due to be launched 9 March 2006).
The World Summit Outcome document has echoed these calls for enhancing coordination of operational activities (see para. 169, pp. 36-37). In a related development, the Secretary-General recently convened a high-level panel to “explore how the UN system could work more coherently and effectively across the world in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment.”
For reports and articles providing background on the humanitarian reform process, please refer to:
- Forced Migration Review 24, IDP Supplement, “Protecting and Assisting the Internally Displaced: The Way Forward” (Oct. 2005)
- HPG Briefing Note, “The Currency of Humanitarian Reform” (Nov. 2005)
- OCHA, Coordination of Humanitarian Response web page
- Talk Back, Special Issue on Humanitarian Reform (Oct. 2005)
Posted in Publications.
The World Summit Outcome document has echoed these calls for enhancing coordination of operational activities (see para. 169, pp. 36-37). In a related development, the Secretary-General recently convened a high-level panel to “explore how the UN system could work more coherently and effectively across the world in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment.”
For reports and articles providing background on the humanitarian reform process, please refer to:
- Forced Migration Review 24, IDP Supplement, “Protecting and Assisting the Internally Displaced: The Way Forward” (Oct. 2005)
- HPG Briefing Note, “The Currency of Humanitarian Reform” (Nov. 2005)
- OCHA, Coordination of Humanitarian Response web page
- Talk Back, Special Issue on Humanitarian Reform (Oct. 2005)
Posted in Publications.
06 March 2006
Women's Commission report on displaced women/girls
The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children has issued a report entitled Displaced Women and Girls at Risk: Risk Factors, Protection Solutions and Resource Tools (Feb. 2006). The aims of the report are:
to clarify risks leading to displacement, risk factors during displacement and risks that inhibit safe and sustainable return. Additionally, the paper looks at protection solutions in the context of displacement and in situations of return. Finally, the paper presents tools for assessing risks and for identifying good field practices that reduce the risks displaced and returnee women and girls confront (p. 1).
Posted in Publications.
New Report on Security, Human Rights, and Canadian Immigration
The Institute for Research on Public Policy's Immigration and Refugee Policy programme released a report on 21 Feb. 2006 entitled Controlling Irregular Migration in Canada: Reconciling Security Concerns with Human Rights Protection. Visitors to the IRPP site can also read a news release about the report and a summary.
Posted in Publications.
Posted in Publications.
05 March 2006
Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies
Formerly the Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Services, Haworth Press' Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies assumes its new name with volume 4. Where the original incarnation of the journal focused particularly on the trauma and stress of adaptation, the successor will look more broadly at the effects of international migration. Prepublication contents and abstracts are available for volume 4's first and second issues.
Posted in Periodicals.
Posted in Periodicals.
03 March 2006
Forced Migration Newsfeeds
Increasingly, forced migration-related sites are syndicating their content for delivery through RSS and Atom web feeds. If you have a newsreader and would like to add feeds that focus on refugees, forced migration, IDPs, humanitarian assistance, or human rights, then here is a partial listing of relevant sites.
- Forced Migration Current Awareness Blog (i.e., *this* site!) includes an Atom feed with headlines of each new post. Copy the site feed shortcut from the sidebar under the "Links" heading.
- The Forced Migration Discussion List is hosted by JISCMail, but since they currently do not offer RSS feeds, FMO created one for the list.
- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has numerous newsfeeds available for its latest news, regions, individual countries, or themes (including "refugees" and "refugee and IDP women/gender-based asylum claims").
- The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) provides one feed that includes bi-weekly news and information about their reports, profiles and other activities.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provides a newsfeed along with a nice introduction to RSS and newsreaders.
- IRIN News offers feeds for individual countries, regions, and themes, or for their Africa, Asia, Iraq, HIV/AIDS, or French-language news services. Look for these at the bottom of the home page, left corner.
- OUP Journals: Subscribe to a newsfeed for the contents of current or recent issues of the International Journal of Refugee Law, the Journal of Refugee Studies, and the Refugee Survey Quarterly.
- Pambazuka News is a weekly newsletter that focuses on social justice issues in Africa. Users have multiple newsfeed options: They can subscribe to a single feed for the complete issue of Pambazuka or to various category-specific feeds, including "conflict and emergencies" and "refugees and forced migration."
- ReliefWeb has separate feeds for its headlines (latest updates), situation reports, training, vacancies, maps, and news on individual countries.
- UNHCR offers a newsfeed, but it doesn't appear to be fully operational as of this writing. Keep checking the bottom left corner of the home page.
If you *don't* have a newsreader, then take advantage of Forced Migration Online's newsfeeds. The right-hand column of the home page displays headlines from the forced migration discussion list, UNHCR's refugee news, IDMC's IDP news, ReliefWeb's humanitarian news, and this blog - a quick, easy, and technology-free way to keep up with the latest developments!
Posted in Web Sites/Tools.
- Forced Migration Current Awareness Blog (i.e., *this* site!) includes an Atom feed with headlines of each new post. Copy the site feed shortcut from the sidebar under the "Links" heading.
- The Forced Migration Discussion List is hosted by JISCMail, but since they currently do not offer RSS feeds, FMO created one for the list.
- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has numerous newsfeeds available for its latest news, regions, individual countries, or themes (including "refugees" and "refugee and IDP women/gender-based asylum claims").
- The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) provides one feed that includes bi-weekly news and information about their reports, profiles and other activities.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provides a newsfeed along with a nice introduction to RSS and newsreaders.
- IRIN News offers feeds for individual countries, regions, and themes, or for their Africa, Asia, Iraq, HIV/AIDS, or French-language news services. Look for these at the bottom of the home page, left corner.
- OUP Journals: Subscribe to a newsfeed for the contents of current or recent issues of the International Journal of Refugee Law, the Journal of Refugee Studies, and the Refugee Survey Quarterly.
- Pambazuka News is a weekly newsletter that focuses on social justice issues in Africa. Users have multiple newsfeed options: They can subscribe to a single feed for the complete issue of Pambazuka or to various category-specific feeds, including "conflict and emergencies" and "refugees and forced migration."
- ReliefWeb has separate feeds for its headlines (latest updates), situation reports, training, vacancies, maps, and news on individual countries.
- UNHCR offers a newsfeed, but it doesn't appear to be fully operational as of this writing. Keep checking the bottom left corner of the home page.
If you *don't* have a newsreader, then take advantage of Forced Migration Online's newsfeeds. The right-hand column of the home page displays headlines from the forced migration discussion list, UNHCR's refugee news, IDMC's IDP news, ReliefWeb's humanitarian news, and this blog - a quick, easy, and technology-free way to keep up with the latest developments!
Posted in Web Sites/Tools.
02 March 2006
New Monthlies: CrisisWatch, Migration Information
Produced by the International Crisis Group, CrisisWatch is a monthly bulletin that aims to keep readers apprised of the status of conflict situations around the world. Each issue characterizes situations as deteriorated, improved or unchanged, and identifies particular conflict risks or conflict resolution opportunities. The March issue is now available.
The Migration Information Source for March has also been posted. This monthly offers "global analysis of international migration and refugee trends," along with data, country profiles, and policy reviews.
Posted in Periodicals.
The Migration Information Source for March has also been posted. This monthly offers "global analysis of international migration and refugee trends," along with data, country profiles, and policy reviews.
Posted in Periodicals.
01 March 2006
New Caselaw Resources
Part 5 of the UNHCR Manual on Refugee Protection and the ECHR has been updated with summaries of relevant caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights. See specifically part 5.10 for summaries covering June-Dec. 2005.
Refugee Caselaw has launched a case of the month feature. The purpose is to highlight a case of particular interest in order to generate discussion within the refugee law community about points of law or unusual facts.
The Refugee Review Tribunal's Jan. 2006 bulletin includes summaries of selected published decisions.
Summaries of Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada decisions are published in RefLex. The latest issue is no. 279, 16 Feb. 2006.
Posted in Publications, Periodicals, and Web Sites/Tools.
Refugee Caselaw has launched a case of the month feature. The purpose is to highlight a case of particular interest in order to generate discussion within the refugee law community about points of law or unusual facts.
The Refugee Review Tribunal's Jan. 2006 bulletin includes summaries of selected published decisions.
Summaries of Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada decisions are published in RefLex. The latest issue is no. 279, 16 Feb. 2006.
Posted in Publications, Periodicals, and Web Sites/Tools.
New Periodicals: Disasters (PAHO), Human Rts., NICS, Refuge,
The Jan. 2006 edition of PAHO's newsletter, Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas, is available in English and Spanish.
The International Journal of Human Rights has published its vol. 10, no. 1, March 2006 issue.
The UN System's Standing Committee on Nutrition has published the Jan. 2006, no. 8 issue of Nutrition Information in Crisis Situations.
After a lengthy absence, Refuge issues are now returning to the Centre for Refugee Studies web site; see vol. 22, no. 2, September 2005, which is entitled "Betwixt and Between: Refugees and Stateless Persons in Limbo."
Posted in Periodicals.
The International Journal of Human Rights has published its vol. 10, no. 1, March 2006 issue.
The UN System's Standing Committee on Nutrition has published the Jan. 2006, no. 8 issue of Nutrition Information in Crisis Situations.
After a lengthy absence, Refuge issues are now returning to the Centre for Refugee Studies web site; see vol. 22, no. 2, September 2005, which is entitled "Betwixt and Between: Refugees and Stateless Persons in Limbo."
Posted in Periodicals.
Country of origin information news/resources
Country of origin information is used in the refugee status determination process by asylum-seekers, as a means to help verify their claims, and by decision-makers, to better inform their assessment of asylum cases.
The EU has recently agreed on a "Common approach to the information used to make decisions (country of origin information): information will be shared and, in the long term, a common database will be developed."
A working party on country of origin information and country guidance was established in Feb. 2006 under the rubric of the International Association of Refugee Law Judges (IARLJ). The rapporteur, Hugo Storey, has issued an invitation to IARLJ members to join the working party, which references three papers that discuss how refugee law judges use COI and judicial criteria for assessing COI. (Access the invitation from the IARLJ home page.)
The UK Country of Origin Information Service (COI service) produces country analysis and reports; visit the site for Feb. updates. These reports in turn are periodically reviewed by the Advisory Panel on Country Information.
The European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI.net) provides access to a wide variety of country information resources, including those produced by the UK COI service. Sign up for their alert service to be informed of new reports added to their database or search the site. A browse feature is available but limited to a handful of focus countries.
UNHCR has also produced a country of origin information database. It's available both on its web site and the REFWORLD cd-rom. While there is certainly source overlap between ECOI.net and UNHCR, the latter provides an opportunity to browse human rights and legal documents by all countries. This is helpful both for users who are less comfortable with searching and for those who wish to get an initial sense of the types of resources available.
A relatively new addition to the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library, Resources for Researching Country Conditions is structured to facilitate browsing. Unfortunately, it is not yet fully fleshed out, so the information provided is still fairly limited.
In the past, I produced a Guide to Country Research for Refugee Status Determination which provides more information on how to undertake COI research; please note, however, that the bibliography that accompanies the guide is in need of updating.
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
The EU has recently agreed on a "Common approach to the information used to make decisions (country of origin information): information will be shared and, in the long term, a common database will be developed."
A working party on country of origin information and country guidance was established in Feb. 2006 under the rubric of the International Association of Refugee Law Judges (IARLJ). The rapporteur, Hugo Storey, has issued an invitation to IARLJ members to join the working party, which references three papers that discuss how refugee law judges use COI and judicial criteria for assessing COI. (Access the invitation from the IARLJ home page.)
The UK Country of Origin Information Service (COI service) produces country analysis and reports; visit the site for Feb. updates. These reports in turn are periodically reviewed by the Advisory Panel on Country Information.
The European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI.net) provides access to a wide variety of country information resources, including those produced by the UK COI service. Sign up for their alert service to be informed of new reports added to their database or search the site. A browse feature is available but limited to a handful of focus countries.
UNHCR has also produced a country of origin information database. It's available both on its web site and the REFWORLD cd-rom. While there is certainly source overlap between ECOI.net and UNHCR, the latter provides an opportunity to browse human rights and legal documents by all countries. This is helpful both for users who are less comfortable with searching and for those who wish to get an initial sense of the types of resources available.
A relatively new addition to the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library, Resources for Researching Country Conditions is structured to facilitate browsing. Unfortunately, it is not yet fully fleshed out, so the information provided is still fairly limited.
In the past, I produced a Guide to Country Research for Refugee Status Determination which provides more information on how to undertake COI research; please note, however, that the bibliography that accompanies the guide is in need of updating.
Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.
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