Regional Focus: Syria

Blog posts & press:

"In Syria’s Latest Exodus, Local Citizens Become Frontline Aid Workers," The New Humanitarian, 29 Oct. 2019 [text]

"Many Syrian Refugees in Turkey Want to Stay, Despite Erdogan Plan to Force Their Return," VOA News, 31 Oct. 2019 [text]

*Proposed Refugee Resettlement into Syrian “Safe Zone” Carries Significant Risks (DevPolicy Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

"Repatriation" of Syrians in Turkey Needs EU Action (Human Rights Watch, Nov. 2019) [text]

Trump Once Talked of a ‘Beautiful Safe Zone’ in Syria. But Safe Zones aren’t Actually Safe (WP's Monkey Cage, 22 Oct. 2019) [text]

"Turkey Wants to Send Syrian Refugees to the New 'Safe Zone.' Some Refugees are Terrified," Vox, 7 Nov. 2019 [text]

The Worrying Precedent of Turkey's "Safe Zone" (The Interpreter Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

Reports & journal articles:

Adapting to Staying, or Imagining Futures Elsewhere: Migration Decision-making of Syrian Refugees in Turkey, Working Paper, no. 154 (International Migration Institute, Oct. 2019) [text]

*"The Burden of Mental Disorders and Access to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services in Syria and among Syrian Refugees in Neighboring Countries: A Systematic Review," Journal of Public Health, Advance Articles, 5 Nov. 2019 [free full-text]

Hosting Refugees: The Impact of the Occupancy Free of Charge (OFC) Shelter Modality in Lebanon (American University of Beirut & Save the Children, Sept. 2019) [text]

"La Politique Jordanienne à l’Egard des Réfugiés Syriens: Entre Hospitalité et Protection des Intérêts Nationaux," Confluences Méditerranée, no. 110 (2019) [Academia]

"Refugees, Water Balance, and Water Stress: Lessons Learned from Lebanon," Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment, Latest Articles, 2 Nov. 2019 [open access]

Targeting Humanitarian Aid Using Administrative Data: Model Design and Validation (SSRN, Aug. 2019) [preprint]

- Focus is on Lebanon.

*"War and Displacement Stressors and Coping Mechanisms of Syrian Urban Refugee Families Living in Istanbul," Journal of Family Psychology, Sept. 2019 [postprint]

Multimedia:

Syria: The Making and Unmaking of a Refuge State, London, 1 Aug. 2019 [info]
- Follow link for video.

*UPDATED

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: Syria (26 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: MENA

Events & opportunities:

Conference: Refugees & Asylum Seekers in Israel Conference, Washington, DC, 10-11 November 2019 [info]

Job announcement: Researcher Adviser on Refugees Migrants Rights, Amnesty International
- Position is based in Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa regional office. Apply by 20 November 2019.

Short course: Palestine Refugees and International Law, Istanbul, 13-14 March 2020 [info]
- "Maximum twenty-seven spaces, with three partially funded places available for regional doctoral students or regional NGO staff."

Blog posts & press:

"Head of UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees Resigns Amid Misconduct Probe," The New Humanitarian, 6 Nov. 2019 [text]

News Comment by Jean-Paul Cavalieri, UNHCR’s Chief of Mission in Libya, on the Situation at the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) in Tripoli (UNHCR, Oct. 2019) [text]

Somali Refugees Return Home from Yemen in Latest UNHCR-facilitated Departure (UNHCR, Oct. 2019) [text]

Reports & journal articles:

Access to Basic Needs in Yemen: Scenarios - Possible Developments Affecting Yemeni’s Access to Basic Needs and Services in 2020 (ACAPS, Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Arab-Palestinian Refugees," Israel Studies, vol. 24, no. 2 (Summer 2019) [Academia]

Humanitarian Action and Anti-migration Paradox: A Case Study of UNHCR and IOM in Libya, Thesis (University of Geneva, Aug. 2019) [text]
- See also related Medium blog post.

Iraq: Country of Origin Information on Access and Residency Requirements in Iraq (UNHCR, Nov. 2019) [text]
- "Ability of Persons Originating from Formerly ISIS-Held or Conflict-Affected Areas to Legally Access and Remain in Proposed Areas of Relocation (Update I)."

Libya’s Relentless Militia War: Civilians Harmed in the Battle for Tripoli, April-August 2019 (Amnesty International, Oct. 2019) [access]

*"The Palestinian Refugee Question: Root Causes and Breaking the Impasse," Forced Migration Review, no. 62 (Oct. 2019) [open access]

Papers of Palestinian Youth Conference - Right of Return: Towards a Practical Approach (BADIL, Sept. 2019) [text]

Quarterly Mixed Migration Update: Middle East (Mixed Migration Centre, Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Realizing the Rights of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Jordan from Countries Other than Syria with a focus on Yemenis and Sudanese (Norwegian Refugee Council, April 2019; posted Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Situation Report: Asylum Seekers from Eritrea and Sudan (ASSAF et al., Aug. 2019; posted Oct. 2019) [text]

Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2016-2018 (BADIL, Oct. 2019) [text] [text via ReliefWeb]
- "This extended edition addresses the question of Palestine’s refugees across five chapters. As with previous surveys, the first three chapters contextualize and update the refugee issue. Chapter One provides an overview of the historical and contemporary displacement of Palestinians. Chapter Two highlights the demographic situation, particularly the population size and socio-economic status. And, Chapter Three addresses the international framework for protection of refugees, in general, and that which is uniquely applicable to Palestinian refugees. In the Chapters Four and Five, BADIL turns to the most crucial, yet most marginalized issue to the question of Palestine: the right of return and specifically the practicalities of realizing and implementing return."

Tunisia: Realities and Needs of Migrants and Refugees in the Governorate of Medenine Since September 2018 (REACH, Oct. 2019) [access]
- Follow link for press release, full report in French and executive summary in English.

Yemen: Urban Displacement in a Rural Society (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, Oct. 2019) [text]
- Part of the "UnSettlement: Urban displacement in the 21st century" thematic series.

*UPDATED

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: MENA, incl. Syria - Pt. 1 (11 Oct. 2019)

- Regional Focus: MENA, incl. Syria - Pt. 2 (11 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Children & Families - Pt. 2

Europe:

Opportunity

Job announcement: Policy and Advocacy Officer (Refugee Family Reunion), British Red Cross [info]
- Apply by 18 November 2019.

Reports & journal articles

"Citizens of Nowhere? Paradoxes of State Parental Responsibility for Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the United Kingdom," Journal of Refugee Studies, Advance Articles, 18 May 2019 [ResearchGate]

"Gender Differences in the Mental Health of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in Europe: A Systematic Review," BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 7 (July 2019) [open access]

"Health Needs of Refugee Children Identified on Arrival in Reception Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, BMJ Paediatrics Open, vol. 3, no. 1 (Sept. 2019) [open access]

"Hierarchies of Privilege: Juxtaposing Family Reunification Rights, Integration Requirements, and Nationality in EU Law," Chapter in European Societies, Migration and the Law: The “Others” amongst “Us” (Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming) [preprint]

Study on the Protection of Family Unity in Dublin Procedures (Centre Suisse pour la Défense des Droits des Migrants, Oct. 2019) [text]
- Note: Click on image to access full-text.

UNHCR Reports Suggest Means of Improving Prospects of Child Refugees in UK (UNHCR, Oct. 2019) [access]
- The three reports are as follows: Destination Anywhere: The Profile and Protection Situation of Unaccompanied and Separated Children and the Circumstances Which Lead Them to Seek Refuge in the UK (June 2019); 'A Refugee and Then': Participatory Assessment of the Reception and Early Integration of Unaccompanied Refugee Children in the UK (June 2019); and Putting the Child at the Centre: An Analysis of the Application of the Best Interests Principle for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in the UK (June 2019).

Middle East:

"Engaging Men to Support the Resilience of Syrian Refugee Children and Youth in Lebanon," Chapter in Children and Peace: From Research to Action (Springer, Sept. 2019) [open access]

"Minds Under Siege: Cognitive Signatures of Poverty and Trauma in Refugee and Non‐Refugee Adolescents," Child Development, Early View, 24 Oct. 2019 [open access]
- See also related NPR story. Focuses on Syrians in Jordan.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Children & Families - Pt. 1 (7 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Children & Families - Pt. 1

General:

Event

*Report launch: Accounting for and Supporting Children Living in Internal Displacement, Geneva, 21 November 2019 [info]
- Register by 15 November 2019.

Publications

Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action: 2019 Edition (Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Promoting Prosocial Behavior Toward Refugees: Exploring the Empathy-Attitude-Action Model in Middle Childhood," Children and Peace: From Research to Action (Springer, Sept. 2019) [open access]

"Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children: Interrupted Child Development and Unfulfilled Child Rights," Children, vol. 6, no. 11 (Oct. 2019) [open access]

"Social-Developmental Perspective on Intergroup Attitudes towards Immigrants and Refugees in Childhood and Adolescence: A Roadmap from Theory to Practice for an Inclusive Society," Human Development, Online First, 14 Oct. 2019 [free full-text]

United States:

"AP Investigation: Deported Parents May Lose Kids to Adoption," AP News, 9 Oct. 2019 [text]

"Deporting America's Children: The Demise of Discretion and Family Values in Immigration Law," Arizona Law Review, vol. 61, no. 3 (2019) [full-text]

In the Best Interest of the Child (US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, October 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]
- Focus is on the U.S.

"The Law Against Family Separation," Columbia Human Rights Law Review (Forthcoming, 2020) [preprint]
- See also related Just Security blog post.

Protection Concerns for Families and Children at the US-Mexico Border (ISIM Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

"The Trump Administration Just Admitted That It Separated an Additional 1,500 Immigrant Families," Vox, 25 Oct. 2019 [text]
- See also related Guardian article.

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Children & Families (16 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Gender Issues, incl. SOGI - Pt. 2

Africa & Middle East:

"Blunders in Central African Republic Sex Abuse Probe Detailed in Internal UN Review," The New Humanitarian, 31 Oct. 2019 [text]

COI Note on the Treatment of Women with Children Born out of Wedlock in Syria (UNHCR, Sept. 2019) [text]

"A Critical Analysis of Article 16 of the UN Refugee Convention in Relation to Victims of Sexual Violence in Refugee Camps in Africa," De Jure Law Journal, vol. 52, no. 1 (2019) [open access]

Energy, Gender and GBV in Emergencies: State of Principles, Knowledge and Practice (Women's Refugee Commission & Mercy Corps, Nov. 2019) [access]
- Follow link for report as well as Jordan and Uganda case studies.

'No one asked…’: Amplifying the Voices of Syrian Refugee Women in Lebanon on Their Power to Decide (Oxfam, Nov. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Still in Danger: Women and Girls Face Sexual Violence in South Sudan Despite Peace Deal (Refugees International, Oct. 2019) [text]

“We Have a Broken Heart”: Sexual Violence against Refugees in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya - The Experiences of Congolese, Somali, and South Sudanese Men, Boys, and Trans Women (Women's Refugee Commission, Oct. 2019) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Gender Issues, incl. SOGI - Pt. 1 (6 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Gender Issues, incl. SOGI - Pt. 1

General: 

Event

*Conference: Queer Displacements: Sexuality, Migration & Exile, Canberra, 14-15 November 2019 [info]

Publications

"Discriminación y Violencia de Género en las Solicitudes de Asilo por Motivos Religiosos," Revista General de Derecho Canónico y Derecho Eclesiástico del Estado, no. 49 (2019) [preprint]

The Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for Gender-based Violence in Emergencies Programming (UN Population Fund, Nov. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Laws, Legal Frameworks, and the Displacement of LGBTI Persons (Global Observatory, Aug. 2019) [text]

Women’s Role in Coordination: Improving the Participation and Protection of Displaced Women in Camps, Informal Sites, and Out of Camp Urban Neighbourhoods - Summary Report (Norwegian Refugee Council, Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Americas & Europe:

"Between Queer Liberalisms and Muslim Masculinities: LGBTQI+ Muslim Asylum Assessment in Germany," Ethnic and Racial Studies, Latest Articles, 24 July 2019 [abstract]
- See also related Univ. of Bristol press release.

"Despite U.S. Asylum Ban, Honduran Women Fleeing Violence Remain Undeterred," The Intercept, 8 Oct. 2019 [text]

"Gang Violence, GBV and Hate Crime in Central America: State Response versus State Responsibility," Forced Migration Review, no. 62 (Oct. 2019) [open access]

Interviews with Asylum Seekers Reveal Why the Home Office Rejects So Many LGBT Claims (The Conversation, Sept. 2019) [text]

"Making Domestic Violence Private Again: Referral Authority and Rights Rollback in Matter of A-B-," Boston College Law Review, vol. 60, no. 7 (2019) [full-text]
- Focus is on the U.S.

*"Refugee Women's Needs: The Athens Case," Journal of Refugee & Global Health, vol. 2, no. 2 (2019) [open access]

"Women in Refugee Camps: Which Coping Resources Help Them to Adapt?," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 20 (Oct. 2019) [open access]
- Focus is on Syrians in Greece.

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Gender Issues - Pt. 1 (15 Oct. 2019)
- Thematic Focus: Gender Issues - Pt. 2 (SGBV) (15 Oct. 2019)
- Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (19 July 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 2

Asia, Europe & Middle East:

"Against All Odds: Refugees Bricoleuring in the Void," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25, no. 5 (2019) [abstract]
- Focus is on Israel.

"The Co-creation of Social Ventures through Bricolage, for the Displaced, by the Displaced," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25, no. 5 (2019) [postprint]
- Focus is on Hong Kong, Pakistan and Syria.

"Exploring the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Syrian Refugees in the UK," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25, no. 5 (2019) [postprint]

The Fiscal Lifetime Cost of Receiving Refugees, Working Papers in Economics, no. 71 (Univ. of Gothenburg, Feb. 2019) [text]
- Focus is on Sweden.

"In Pursuit of Self-reliance: Perspectives of Refugees in Jordan," International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 13, no. 3 (2019) [open access]

"Labour Market Participation among Young Refugees in Sweden and the Potential of Education: A National Cohort Study," Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 22, no. 4 (2019) [open access]

Legal Migration for Work and Training: Mobility Options to Europe for Those Not in Need of Protection (Migration Policy Institute, Oct. 2019) [text]

Livelihoods in the Za'atari Camp: Impact Evaluation of Oxfam’s Cash for Work Activities in the Za’atari Camp (Jordan) (Oxfam, Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Long and Winding Road: Labour Market Integration of Refugees in Norway, Memorandum, no. 08/2019 (Univ. of Oslo, Sept. 2019) [text]

"'#Refugees can be entrepreneurs too!' Humanitarianism, Race, and the Marketing of Syrian Refugees," Review of International Studies, First View, 25 Oct. 2019 [open access]

"Refugees in the Turkish Labor Market: Legal and Economic Analysis," Chapter in Immigration Policy Studies: Theoretical and Empirical Migration Research (Peter Lang, 2019) [ResearchGate]

Should Asylum Seekers Have Unrestricted Rights to Work in the UK? (UK House of Commons Library, Oct. 2019) [text]
- See also related openDemocracy article.

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 1 (6 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 1

General:

Building Economies and Communities That Thrive: The Case for Investing in Refugee Workforce Development (International Rescue Committee, Oct. 2019) [text]

Decent Work for Refugees: Lessons Learned and Guidance for Inclusive Labour Markets, Side event at 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Preparatory Meeting, Geneva, 11 Sept. 2019 [summary]

"How Governments Use Immigration to Boost Their Economies," Bloomberg, 30 Oct. 2019 [text]

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25, no. 5 (2019) [contents]
- Special issue on "Migration, Enterprise and Society." Note: Some articles in this issue are available as Green OA and are referenced individually in Part 2 of this post.

The Political Economy of Refugee Self-reliance, Oxford, 16 Oct. 2019 [info]
- Follow link for podcast.

Africa, Americas & Australia:

"The Career Development Processes of Women Refugees in South Africa: An Exploratory Study," SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, vol. 45, no. 1 (2019) [open access]

Expanding Eligibility for Professional and Occupational Licensing for Immigrants (Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Sept. 2019) [text via Immigration Law Blog]
- Focus is on the U.S.

The Experience of Venezuelan Refugees in Colombia and Peru and How the Business Community Can Help (TENT, Sept. 2019) [text]

Intergenerational Mobility of Immigrants in the US over Two Centuries, NBER Working Paper, no. 26408 (National Bureau of Economic Research, Oct. 2019) [text]
- See also related Vox article.

"The Long-term Economic Integration of Resettled Refugees in Canada: A Comparison of Privately Sponsored Refugees and Government-Assisted Refugees," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 4 June 2019 [preprint]

"Predictors of Employment Status: A Study of Former Refugee Communities in Australia," Australian Psychologist, vol. 54, no. 5 (2019) [Academia]

Towards an Optimal Employment Strategy for People Seeking Asylum in Victoria (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, April 2019; launched Sept. 2019) [text]
- Focus is on Australia. See also related post in The Conversation.

Training Refugees and Ethiopians for the Job Market (UNHCR, Oct. 2019) [text]

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 1 (4 Oct. 2019)
- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 2 (Africa) (4 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

Opportunities:

Job announcements: Various positions with UNHCR Geneva [info]
- Follow link for six job listings. Application deadline is 11 November 2019.

Webinar: Beyond Assumptions: How Humanitarians Make Operational Decisions, 18 November 2019 [info]

Publications:

CrisisInSight: Humanitarian Access Overview (ACAPS, October 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]
- "[A] snapshot of the contexts where humanitarian action faces the biggest constraints."

Denial, Delay, Diversion: Tackling Access Challenges in an Evolving Humanitarian Landscape (Center for Strategic and International Studies, Sept. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Ethical Considerations for Closing Humanitarian Projects: A Scoping Review," Journal of International Humanitarian Action, 4:17 (Nov. 2019) [open access]

Follow-up: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Aid Sector (UK House of Commons, Oct. 2019) [text]
- See also round-up of articles in The New Humanitarian relating to sexual misconduct.

Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2019 (Development Initiatives, Sept. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]
- See also related article in The New Humanitarian.

Global Strategy for Sustainable Energy: A UNHCR Strategy 2019-2024 (UNHCR, Oct. 2019) [text]
- See also related press release.

Humanitarian Service Points for Vulnerable Migrants: Summary Brief (IFRC, Nov. 2019?) [text via ReliefWeb]

Leave No One Behind: Time for Specifics on the Sustainable Development Goals (Brookings Institution, Oct. 2019) [free full-text]
- Chapter 5 focuses on refugees and migrants.

Pathways to Localisation: A Framework Towards Locally Led Humanitarian Response in Partnership-based Action (Christian Aid et al., Oct. 2019) [text via ReliefWeb]

Rethinking Capacity and Complementarity for a More Local Humanitarian Action (ODI, Oct. 2019) [text]

"Searching for the Nexus: Priorities, Principles, and Politics," The New Humanitarian, 10 Oct. 2019 [text]
- See also related thought piece on the nexus.

SGBV Response, Risk Mitigation and Prevention in Humanitarian Crises: A Synthesis of Findings from Evaluations of UNHCR Operations 2019 (UNHCR, Sept. 2019) [text]

Unbundled: A Framework for Connecting Safety Nets and Humanitarian Assistance in Refugee Settings (World Bank, Sept. 2019) [text]

Valuing Local Resources in Humanitarian Crises (ODI, Oct. 2019) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (25 Sept. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: General - Pt. 2

Reports & journal articles:

Cahiers d’Histoire: Revue d’Histoire Critique, no. 142 (2019) [open access]
- Theme is “Que fait l'ONU ? Droit d'inventaire.” Includes articles on the history of UN assistance to refugees and migrants.

Emergency Travel Document (ICRC, 2018) [text via Refworld]
- Note: The newly revised version began being issued as of 1 Jan. 2019.

"Getting a Better Sense of How Long Refugees Have Been in Exile," World Bank Research Digest, vol. 14, no. 1 (Fall 2019) [full-text]
- "A rigorous review of UNHCR data finds that more than half of global refugees have spent 4 years or less in exile, a historical low."

"Grand Challenges: Refugees and Conflict," Frontiers in Human Dynamics, 30 Oct. 2019 [open access]

"International Migration: Trends, Determinants, and Policy Effects," Population and Development Review, Early View, 8 Oct. 2019 [open access]

"The Migration State in the Global South: Nationalizing, Developmental, and Neoliberal Models of Migration Management," International Migration Review, OnlineFirst, 24 Oct. 2019 [open access]

Mixed Migration Review 2019 - Highlights. Interviews. Essays. Data. (Mixed Migration Centre, Nov. 2019) [text]
- This volume "offers updates on global mixed migration trends and policy events while examining future trends and expectations in a wide range of sectors and their impact on mixed migration."

"National Governance Frameworks in the Global Compact on Refugees: Dangers and Opportunities," International Migration, Early View, 9 Oct. 2019 [free full-text]

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Covering the Period 1 July 2018-30 June 2019, UN Doc. No. A/74/12 (UN General Assembly, Oct. 2019) [access via ReliefWeb]
- Follow link for report in English, Arabic and Russian.

The Road to 2030: Finding Solutions to Internal Displacement, Geneva, 1 Oct. 2019 [info]
- Follow link for summary report, presentations and video recordings.

"Tokens or Stakeholders in Global Migration Governance? The Role of Affected Communities and Civil Society in the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees," International Migration, Early View, 24 Oct. 2019 [open access]

Wheels in Motion: Who's Done What Since the Global Compact for Migration was Adopted (and What Should Happen Next) (Mixed Migration Centre, Oct. 2019) [text]
- Note: This report also appears in the a/m Mixed Migration Review.

World Bank Research Digest, vol. 14, no. 1 (Fall 2019) [full-text]

- Focus is on "Global Migration." Includes articles on labor markets, education, migration policies among other topics.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General - Pt. 1 (5 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: General - Pt. 1

Events & opportunities:

Seminar: A Human Right to International Freedom of Movement, Oxford, 6 November 2019 [info]

Workshop: Stay, Move-on, Return: Dynamics of Mobility Aspirations in Contexts of Forced Displacement, Amsterdam, 6-7 November 2019 [info]

Job announcement: Principal Communications Adviser, UNHCR [info]
- Apply by 11 November 2019.

Workshop: Addressing Refugee Challenges: A Workshop on Research Around the Objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, Geneva, 13 November 2019 [info]
- Note: This is a preparatory workshop held in advance of the official launch of the Global Academic Interdiscipinary Network (GAIN) at the Global Refugee Forum in December. See also related information note.

Global Refugee Forum: Third Preparatory Meeting, Geneva, 14 November 2019 [info]
- Follow link for organizational note. Note: This meeting is private and will not be webcast.

Call for nominations: 2020 Oak Human Rights Fellowship [info]
- Submit nominations by 30 November 2019.

Blog posts & press:

‘How is your research going to benefit me?’: Bringing Findings Back to Communities in Ghana (ODI Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

"McMaster Doc Says Academic Research Needs to be More Accessible," The Hamilton Spectator, 24 Oct. 2019 [text]
- "Hamilton study finds governments didn’t use research evidence in Syrian refugee policies."

Refugee Stories Could Do More Harm Than Good (openDemocracy, Nov. 2019) [text]

ReliefWeb, a Trove of Resources for the Academic Community (ReliefWeb Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

Secretary-General's Statement Announcing the Establishment of a High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement (UN, Oct. 2019) [text]

Waking Up to the Millions of People Displaced within Their Own Countries (IDMC Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

"What We Owe Refugees Fleeing Persecution Around the Globe," America: The Jesuit Review, 21 Oct. 2019 [text]

World Bank and UNHCR: Using Open Data to Drive Evidence-based Responses to Support Refugees and Their Hosts (Development for Peace Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

Resource:

Migration Research Hub [access]

- "[T]he Migration Research Hub collects research on migration and organizes it to be easily searchable and shareable, and its open access nature means that everyone can consult and add to the body of research. For the first time, information on publications, research projects, datasets and experts has been brought together in one fully-searchable database, underpinned by a taxonomy created and refined by experts in migration from a wide range of angles. The Migration Research Hub stresses the collaborative and cross-disciplinary nature of migration research, and invites researchers in all related fields and disciplines to provide feedback and contributions towards a better and more useful research tool for all." One clarification re. the database component: Even though the research hub itself is open access, the content that the bibliographic records in the publications database link to is not necessarily freely available.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General - Pt. 1 (14 Oct. 2019)
- Thematic Focus: General - Pt. 2 (14 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Events & Opportunities, Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

CFPs: OA Journals

Here are a few additional opportunities to publish in an open access journal. Three research topics are available:

Solidarity in Times of Crises [info]
- "Solidarity movements by civil society groups and lay citizens have become visible to broader audiences especially since 2015, with the so-called European refugee 'crisis'. These groups respond to the most immediate needs of the forcibly displaced where the state is only vaguely present or fails to fulfill its human rights commitments altogether. ...This Research Topic calls for contributions that address solidarity with, for and by refugees in any part of the world." Submit abstracts by 24 November 2019 to Frontiers in Human Dynamics.

The Well-being of International Migrants in Rural Areas: Bridging the Migration-Development Nexus [info]
- "The overall aim of this Research Topic is to enhance and strengthen the evidence base and knowledge of the migration-rural development nexus. In particular we encourage an interest in (i) posing new research questions by engaging with analytical discussions, and by drawing on empirical approaches to illuminate and develop a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between migration and rural development and the consequences for migrants and non-migrants; (ii) strengthening the evidence base by drawing on national and transnational comparative studies as well as by paying attention to intersectional identities." Submit abstracts by 15 December 2019 either to Frontiers in Human Dynamics or Frontiers in Sociology.

Narrating Exile [info]
- "The idea behind this Research Topic stems from a recently convened workshop that reflected on the divergent ways in which asylum and immigration have been articulated in media, policy and law contexts and how exiled communities respond to and/or challenge public sphere discourses on both a country and international level. While the talks from the workshop will form part of the Research Topic, the Topic Editors also welcome external submissions to ensure that the collection captures global debates on narrating migration in the context outlined above." Submit abstracts by 31 March 2020 either to Frontiers in Human Dynamics or Frontiers in Sociology.

Be sure to check out info re. publication fees here.

Related post:
- CFPs: Open Access Journals (24 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2

Reports & journal articles:

"The Affective Border: Missing Migrants and the Governance of Migrant Bodies at the EU’s Southern Frontier," Journal of Refugee Studies, Advance Articles, 22 Oct. 2019 [open access]
- Note: This article was re-issued with a new publication date due to the addition of corrections.

Germany's Return Policies and Rejected African Asylum Seekers: Why Don't Failed Ghanaian and Nigerian Asylum Applicants Return Home?, Thesis (Univ. of Hamburg, 2019) [text via Global Campus of Human Rights IR]

"Investigating Intergroup Attitudes in Europe: Cross-national Data on News Media, Attitudes Towards Newcomers, and Socio-psychological Indicators," Data in Brief, vol. 26 (Oct. 2019) [open access]

"The Long and Short Arms of the State: Swedish Multidirectional Controls of Afghan Asylum Seekers during the Cold War," Journal of Refugee Studies, Advance Articles, 3 Feb. 2019 [Academia]

Public Narratives and Attitudes Towards Refugees and Other Migrants (ODI, Nov. 2019) [access]
- Follow link for Germany and UK country profiles.

The Refugee Reception Crisis: Polarized Opinions and Mobilizations (Éditions de l'Université de Bruxelles, Oct. 2019) [open access]

Responding to Irregular Migration: A Diplomatic Route (UK House of Commons, Nov. 2019) [text]

Scaling Fences: Voices of Irregular African Migrants to Europe (UNDP, Oct. 2019) [text]

"'We are all brothers here': The Making of a Life by Chechen Refugees in Poland," Population, Space and Place, Early View, 23 Oct. 2019 [open access]

'We ate bread and salt together': Communal Cooking and Eating as a Model for Developing Trust Between Hosts and Asylum Seekers in London, UK, RLI Working Paper, no. 39 (Refugee Law Initiative, Oct. 2019) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (4 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1

Events & opportunities:

Job announcement: Senior Legal Officer - EU Asylum Law, ECRE [info]
- Apply by 25 November 2019.

Roundtable discussion/film screening:  ‘Refugees Welcome’ Movement, London, 29 November 2019 [info]
- Register by 27 November 2019.

Blog posts & press:

"Briefing: Behind the New Refugee Surge to the Greek Islands," The New Humanitarian, 30 Oct. 2019 [text]

"Briefing: How Will Greece's New Asylum Law Affect Refugees?," The New Humanitarian, 4 Nov. 2019 [text]
- See also related Human Rights Watch comment.

The ECtHR on Disembarkation of Rescued Refugees and Migrants at Greek Hotspots (EJIL: Talk Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

"Germany: Chances of Refugees Gaining Asylum Depend on Where They Apply," DW, 22 Oct. 2019 [text]

Refugees and Migrants Know the Risks of Stowing Away on a Lorry – but Feel They Must Take Them (The Conversation, Oct. 2019) [text]

Rescues at Sea: MEPs Demand EU and Member States Take Responsibility (European Parliament, Oct. 2019) [text]

A Reset of the European Union’s Approach to Migration? (Dahrendorf Forum Blog, Oct. 2019) [text]

Multimedia:

From Tampere 20 to Tampere 2.0: Towards a New Programme for EU Migration and Asylum Policies, Helsinki, 24-25 Oct. 2019 [info]
- Follow link for video recordings. See also related UNHCR statement.

Related posts:
- News: New Report on Asylum Policies in Europe (21 Oct. 2019)
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (18 Oct. 2019)
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (18 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Solutions - Pt. 2

Reports & journal articles:

"Barriers to Achieving 'Economic Self-Sufficiency': The Structural Vulnerability Experienced by Refugee Families in Denver, Colorado," Human Organization, vol. 78, no. 3 (Fall 2019) [abstract]
- See also related news release.

"Immigrant and Refugee Language Policies, Programs, and Practices in an Era of Change: Promises, Contradictions, and Possibilities," Chapter 27 in Routledge International Handbook of Migration Studies (Routledge, May 2019) [ResearchGate]

"It affects me as a man": Recognising and Responding to Former Refugee Men’s Experiences of Resettlement - An Exploratory Study in Dunedin, New Zealand, National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Policy Paper, no. 2019/1 (Univ. of Otago, June 2019) [text]

Politics of (Dis)Integration (Springer, Oct. 2019) [open access]
- "This open access book explores how contemporary integration policies and practices are not just about migrants and minority groups becoming part of society but often also reflect deliberate attempts to undermine their inclusion or participation. This affects individual lives as well as social cohesion." Focuses predominantly on Europe, but includes chapters on Canada and Israel.

"Prevalence and Predictors of Low Future Expectations among Syrian Refugees Resettled in Sweden," Heliyon, vol. 5, no. 10 (Oct. 2019) [open access]

Pursuing Peace: The Return of Bosnian War Refugees from "Paradise Lands" to "Home," Thesis (Utrecht Univ., 2019) [text via UU IR]

"Support for Refugee Integration in West and East Germany: Results from Two Lost Letter Studies," Social Psychology, Advance Articles, 7 Oct. 2019 [abstract]
- See also related news release.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Solutions - Pt. 1 (4 Nov. 2019)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Solutions - Pt. 1

News re. US Resettlement:

On 1 November 2019, the White House issued a Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2020 that officially set the resettlement cap at 18,000. The State Dept. issued a related press statement the next day. According to the Los Angeles Times, "because Trump delayed signing the order capping refugee admissions for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1," the State Dept. placed a pause on new admissions. This in turn resulted in zero refugees entering the country during the month of October. For reactions and commentary, see the following:

The End of the Largest Resettlement Program in the World? (Baker Inst. for Public Policy, Oct. 2019) [text]

"I'm a Former Assistant Secretary of State. Yesterday I was Arrested Protesting Secretary Pompeo's Policies on Refugees," Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2019 [text]

Lower Refugee Limits are Weakening Resettlement in the US (The Conversation, Oct. 2019) [text]

"Trump’s Harsh Refugee Policies are Signs of a Fixed Mindset - Research Shows a Growth Mindset Leads to More Support of Refugee Resettlement," Psychology Today, 23 Oct. 2019 [text]

"Trump's Refugee Cap Compromises the US Economy and American Identity," Sight Magazine, 4 Nov. 2019 [text]

UNHCR Troubled by Latest U.S. Refugee Resettlement Cut (UNHCR, Nov. 2019) [text]

We are Abandoning Refugees — and Four Decades of American Effort (Niskanen Center Blog, Nov. 2019) [text]

Events & opportunities:

CFP: Durable Solutions for Rejected Asylum Seekers?, Rotterdam, 16-17 January 2020 [info]
- Submit abstracts by 23 November 2019.

Job announcement: Director for Europe, Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative, Brussels [info]
- Apply by 29 November 2019.

Blog posts & press:

"EU Breaks Promise of Safe Passage for 50,000 Refugees," DW, 14 Oct. 2019 [text]
- See also related EU Commission factsheet on resettlement.

"'I can't believe I'm free': The Canadian Citizens Ending the Torment for Australia’s Offshore Refugees," The Guardian, 3 Nov. 2019 [text]

"Joint Statement: NGOs Call on the EU and Its Member States to Demonstrate Leadership on Resettlement at the Global Refugee Forum 2019," ECRE Weekly Bulletin, 31 Oct. 2019 [text]

A New Life and New Hopes for Resettled Refugees Arriving in Romania (IOM, Oct. 2019) [text]

Playing Our Part to Support Refugees in Our Region and the World (New Zealand Govt., Oct. 2019) [text]
- See also related UNHCR press release and more info on the The Refugee Quota Increase Programme (RQIP).

Related posts:
- New Issue of FMR (15 Oct. 2019) [theme is "Return: Voluntary, Safe, Dignified and Durable?"]
- Thematic Focus: Solutions - Pt. 1 (10 Oct. 2019)
- Thematic Focus: Solutions - Pt. 2 (U.S.) (10 Oct. 2019)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

News: Another New OA Book!

Berghahn Books has published Germany on Their Minds: German Jewish Refugees in the United States and Their Relationships with Germany, 1938–1988, by Anne C. Schenderlein. And it's open access! Here is the description:

"Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, approximately ninety thousand German Jews fled their homeland and settled in the United States, prior to that nation closing its borders to Jewish refugees. And even though many of them wanted little to do with Germany, the circumstances of the Second World War and the postwar era meant that engagement of some kind was unavoidable—whether direct or indirect, initiated within the community itself or by political actors and the broader German public. This book carefully traces these entangled histories on both sides of the Atlantic, demonstrating the remarkable extent to which German Jews and their former fellow citizens helped to shape developments from the Allied war effort to the course of West German democratization."

Follow this link to download the full-text or read chapters individually.

Tagged Publications.

Feature: OA Articles by UNHCR staff

When I was conducting searches in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) recently, I noticed several articles that included a UNHCR staff member as an author. While the institutional affiliations of authors are typically indicated in articles, they are not always immediately visible; sometimes one has to click on the author name or elsewhere in order to view these details. However, in DOAJ records, the affiliations are generally noted in parentheses immediately following the author's name. Which means that this information is also searchable, since it is included directly in the record.

UNHCR is a prolific producer of reports, most of which are posted on its web site (which makes them findable but first one has to know that they exist - a topic for another blog post!) However, I was curious to see what academic studies had been undertaken by UNHCR staff members, as these are not generally made available through the central UNHCR gateway. After various searches, I located the following studies published in 2019:

"The Boundaries of Religious Persecution: Refugee Law and the Limits of Permissible Restrictions on Religion," Human Rights: The Journal of Human Rights, vol. 13, no. 2 (Fall 2018/Winter 2019) [open access]
- Samuel Cheung; at the time of writing, Senior Protection Cluster Coordinator, UNHCR Geneva.

"Considering Culture, Context and Community in mhGAP Implementation and Training: Challenges and Recommendations from the Field," International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 13:58 (Aug. 2019) [open access]
- Peter Ventevogel (one of 5 authors); Senior Mental Health Officer at UNHCR Geneva. Maintains profiles on ResearchGate and Google Scholar.

"Developing an Integrated Intervention to Address Intimate Partner Violence and Psychological Distress in Congolese Refugee Women in Tanzania," Conflict and Health, 13:38 (Aug. 2019) [open access]
- Peter Ventevogel (one of 12 authors); Senior Mental Health Officer at UNHCR Geneva. Maintains active profiles on ResearchGate and Google Scholar.

"Functional Impairment as a Proxy Measure Indicating High Rates of Trauma Exposure, Post-migration Living Difficulties, Common Mental Disorders, and Poor Health amongst Rohingya Refugees in Malaysia," Translational Psychiatry, 9:213 (Sept. 2019) [open access] [DOAJ record]
- Susheela Balasundaram (one of 9 authors); Associate Public Health Officer at UNHCR Kuala Lumpur. Maintains a ResearchGate profile, although it's not current.

"Health Shocks, Care-seeking Behaviour and Coping Strategies of Extreme Poor Households in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts," BMC Public Health, 19:1008 (July 2019) [open access]
- Rupa Datta (one of 4 authors); UNHCR Dhaka.

"Health System Responses to the Health Needs of Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 9 (May 2019) [open access]
- Jason Yeo (one of 4 authors); Programme Associate, Health at UNHCR Kuala Lumpur.

"'The more children you have, the more praise you get from the community': Exploring the Role of Sociocultural Context and Perceptions of Care on Maternal and Newborn Health among Somali Refugees in UNHCR Supported Camps in Kenya," Conflict and Health, 13:11 (March 2019) [open access]

- Stephanie Gee (one of 3 authors); UNHCR Geneva.
- Josep Vargas (one of 3 authors); Senior Reproductive Health & HIV Officer, UNHCR Geneva.

These are just a handful of undoubtedly many more academic studies that UNHCR staffers have  contributed to. How does one find out what else has been written? While UNHCR makes most of its publications freely available on its web site, the content there does not represent the sum of its research activities -- for example, none of the a/m studies can be found there, although some journal articles have been posted (see, e.g., this, this, and this).

One outcome of the open access movement has been the growth in academic institutional repositories, which organize and archive the research and intellectual output of a university's faculty and students. In the IGO context, the World Bank, FAO and UNESCO have also established open access repositories. UNHCR should follow suit! This would greatly facilitate access to its institutional output in a structured way, ensure that it reaches a global audience, and preserve it over the long-term.

In the interim, it looks like ResearchGate offers a very partial solution!

Tagged Publications.

New Book Titles

Please see a two-part listing of references to new books posted on my Forced Migration Library blog. Part 1 is general, part 2 focuses on Europe.