in: Journal of refugee studies, Volume 11, p. 341-453
ISSN: 0951-6328
Examines the geopolitics of refugee studies, increases in refugee flows, the growing unwillingness of states to offer asylum, national efforts at sharing refugees, challenges to the future of refugee protection, and policies of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); 5 articles,
The founding editor is retiring 14 years after the first plans were made to publish, and after 13 volumes in which over 260 papers have been published. During this time, the world of refugees has changed dramatically and almost beyond recognition. The world is now preoccupied by refugees and their plight. JRS is the first and still the only journal specifically dedicated to this subject, and it has sought to reflect, explore and develop understanding of these changes and their consequences through publication of well-grounded research, field reports, debates, book reviews, and the voices of refugees themselves. Its role has been to promote the development of the field of refugee studies. Reviews the changing picture of refugee movement and identifies themes and content in this multidisciplinary journal. Includes some personal reflections. (Quotes from original text)
Almost 20% of all immigrants to the US since 1945 have been refugees. Despite the lack of a nat'l policy, they have been admitted by means of a bewildering array of directives & special laws. The refugees came from widely varying ethnic backgrounds & experiences. They ranged from Latvians to Chinese to Cubans. In spite of their diversity, the refugees shared a common desire to find a land where they could rebuild their interrupted lives. They all faced the task of overcoming the same obstacles to integration in their adopted country. The major hurdles were to learn English, find appropriate employment, & control their bitter-sweet nostalgia for their native land. The refugees came voluntarily & were helped by the voluntary efforts of the major nat'l resettlement agencies & their constituents. In brief, the resettlement of these refugees represents an outstanding example of the willingness of Amer's not only to accept but to assist newcomers regardless of their racial, ethnic, or religious backgrounds. HA.
"With the recent arrival in Europe of over a million refugees and asylum-seekers, a sense of panic has spread across the continent and beyond. William Maley's illuminating introduction offers a guide to the complex idea of "the refugee" and sets the current crisis within the wider history of human exile, injecting much-needed objectivity and nuance into the debate. Arguing that Western states are now reaping the consequences of policies aimed at blocking safe and "legal" access to asylum, 'What is a refugee?' shows why many proposed solutions to the refugee "problem" will exacerbate tension and risk fueling the growth of extremism among people who have been denied all hope. This lucid book also tells of the families and individuals who have sought refuge, highlighting the suffering, separation and dislocation on their perilous journeys to safety. Only through such stories can we properly begin to understand what it is to be a refugee."--
"With the recent arrival in Europe of over a million refugees and asylum-seekers, a sense of panic has spread across the continent and beyond. William Maley's illuminating introduction offers a guide to the complex idea of "the refugee" and sets the current crisis within the wider history of human exile, injecting much-needed objectivity and nuance into the debate. Arguing that Western states are now reaping the consequences of policies aimed at blocking safe and "legal" access to asylum, 'What is a refugee?' shows why many proposed solutions to the refugee "problem" will exacerbate tension and risk fueling the growth of extremism among people who have been denied all hope. This lucid book also tells of the families and individuals who have sought refuge, highlighting the suffering, separation and dislocation on their perilous journeys to safety. Only through such stories can we properly begin to understand what it is to be a refugee."--
Explores such issues as inhumane responses of governments to refugees, the current system of determining refugee status, and the right of refugees to asylum; 10 articles. Topics include international refugee law, repatriation, Vietnamese refugees and the UN's Comprehensive Plan of Action, and Hungary as host country for refugees fleeing Eastern Europe.