The RSP Report 1998 - 1999 Refugee Studies Programme, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford The Refugee Studies Programme (RSP) is part of the University of Oxford’s International Development Centre at Queen Elizabeth House. Its aim is to increase understanding of the causes and consequences of forced migration through research, teaching, publications, conferences and seminars and to provide a forum for discussion CONTENTS between researchers, practitioners, policy makers Director’s Foreword 1 and forced migrants themselves. Since it was established in 1982, the Funding 2 Programme has conducted research into the theory and practice of humanitarian assistance, Institutional Links 3 the legal status of refugees and the political dynamics of displacement, human rights and Research 4-5 citizenship, and the psychological effects of forced migration. Over the next few years it will focus Teaching 6 these concerns around four inter-related research themes: asylum from an international legal and Summer School 7 political perspective, conflict and the transition from war to peace, transnational communities and Documentation Centre 8 diasporas, and development-induced displacement. Digital Library 9 The Programme offers a nine-month Master of Studies (MSt) in Forced Migration, as well as short Publications 10-11 courses aimed at experienced practitioners and policy makers. These include a three-week Seminars, Conferences International Summer School which brings together & Workshops 12 agency and government personnel from around the world to reflect on and share their experiences Staff Presentations 13 of the legal, psychological, political and social dimensions of assistance to refugees and other Students & Fellows 14 forced migrants. The Visiting Fellows Programme enables experienced practitioners and academics Staff News 15 to pursue individual writing and research projects, to make use of the RSP’s documentation Accounts 16 resources and to share their experiences with staff and students. Formal institutional links have Staff, Associates been established with universities in Africa, South & Friends Inside back cover Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, with the aim of strengthening research and teaching Funders Back cover capacity in the field of forced migration. The RSP’s Documentation Centre is the largest collection of its kind in the world. The Digital Compiled and edited by Sean Loughna Library project (which began in September 1997 DTP and production by Corinne Owen with funding from the Andrew W Mellon Foundation) Printed by Banbury Litho will allow dissemination via the Internet and CD Cover photo: Tamil Refugees Returning from India to Sri Lanka (H J Davies) ROM of this extensive and unique collection of unpublished literature. The RSP sponsors the Refugee Studies Programme quarterly Journal of Refugee Studies (Oxford Queen Elizabeth House University of Oxford University Press) and publishes the Forced 21 St Giles Migration Review. This appears three times a year Oxford, OX1 3LA, UK in English, Spanish and Arabic (with a trial Russian Tel: +44 (0)1865 270722 edition launched in June) and is distributed to a Fax: +44 (0)1865 270721 large international network of policy makers and E-mail: [email protected] practitioners. Website: http://www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp/ his Report on the activities of the RSP covers the planning a career in policy and practice course, or who are year which marked the 50th anniversary of the able to take time out for study or whose ultimate aim is to Tsigning of the Universal Declaration of Human pursue further research in the field of forced migration. It Rights. Those responsible for framing the declaration and received its first intake of ten students, from eight countries, getting it adopted might well have hoped that, 50 years on, in October 1998 (see pages 6 and 14). Most came with their efforts would be celebrated as a landmark in the relevant practical experience and several intended to return development of a new international order, in which respect to, or take up posts with, NGOs or international for human dignity was placed above the interests of states organizations. It is a tribute to the Course Director, Dr Foreword Director’s and in which the protection of human rights was ensured Dawn Chatty, to the Course Secretary Dominique Attala, through the ratification of increasingly comprehensive to the staff of the Documentation Centre, and above all to international treaties. the enthusiasm and commitment of the students There is no doubt that much has been achieved through themselves that this first year of the degree was such an 1 the hard work and determined efforts of the international evident success and was so obviously enjoyed by both human rights movement over the past 50 years. And yet, in students and staff alike. a year which has seen, with varying degrees of media ‘Enjoyable’ is also a word that comes quickly to mind coverage, the horrific events in Kosovo, in the Democratic when I think of this year’s International Summer School, Republic of the Congo, in the war between Ethiopia and which got under way at Wadham College just a few weeks Eritrea and in post-election East Timor, celebration seems after the MSt students had completed their exams. We distinctly out of place. Indeed, one is forced to wonder decided two years ago to undertake a complete overhaul of whether the crisis is entirely one of implementation or the curriculum and pedagogical style of the Summer whether there is not also an antecedent ‘theoretical crisis’, School, based on ‘active learning’ principles which have failure to address which is holding back progress on the been pioneered in this country by the Open University. practical front. It is at least clear that searching questions The ‘new-look’ School, built around small-group need to be asked, both about the policies and practices of interactive activities, was held for the first time this year, Western liberal democracies aimed at achieving and more than fulfilled our hopes and expectations. Many compliance with internationally agreed human rights people played a vital part in this success, not least the instruments, and about the philosophical underpinnings of participants themselves, but I should like to record our the human rights movement itself. special thanks to Dr Gordon Wilson, of the Open These and other questions about human rights should University, who coordinated the whole process with clearly be at the forefront of the work of any organization extraordinary skill and effectiveness. This year’s School is devoted to research and teaching in the field of refugee described in more detail on page 7. I will only add that it studies. I am glad to report, therefore, that of the nine new provided the RSP with a superb climax to its year and me projects funded this year at the RSP, six have a strong personally with my most enjoyable and satisfying three human rights component (see pages 4 and 5). Two of them weeks since joining the Programme in 1997. are the responsibility of Michael Barutciski, whose Last year saw the retirement of Dr Barbara Harrell- contribution to the work of the RSP has been marked by a Bond and this year has seen the departure of the next two willingness to ask ‘hard’ questions about the future of most long-standing members of the RSP, Belinda Allan, to refugee protection and the purpose and consequences of a post with the Gaza Community Mental Health humanitarian intervention. Both of his projects, one on the Programme, and Anthea Sanyasi, to a post with DFID. The causes of, and possible solutions to, the Kosovo crisis and importance of Belinda’s contribution to the RSP cannot be the other on the legal framework of development-induced exaggerated and certainly cannot be encapsulated in a few displacement and resettlement projects, are funded by the words. She was the RSP’s Development Officer for 15 Department for International Development (DFID). Dr years and effectively its co-founder. It was appropriate, Dawn Chatty is coordinating a major regional study, therefore, that both she and Barbara should have been funded by the Andrew W Mellon Foundation, of the long- honoured together, at a dinner held at Queen Elizabeth term effects of conflict and forced migration on children House in February which was attended by many of their and adolescents in Palestinian households in the Middle early friends, associates and supporters (see page 15). Anthea East. Dr Maja Korac, who joined us this year as Lisa Gilad Sanyasi came to the RSP in 1988 to set up the Senior Research Officer, is working on a comparative study International Summer School and other short courses and of refugee reception and integration policies in the was a pivotal member of the Programme for ten years, as Netherlands and Italy, focusing on refugees from the former Coordinator of the Education Unit. Like Belinda she was Yugoslavia. The project is funded by the Lisa Gilad totally committed to the work of the RSP and also like Initiative and the European Council for Refugees and Belinda she has Exiles (ECRE). Dr Jo Boyden also joined us this year as left an indelible Senior Research Officer, with a two-year post, also funded impression upon by the Mellon Foundation, to develop a programme of it. We honour comparative primary research on the impact of armed them both for conflict on children and adolescents. And finally, Dr Renée their achievement Fox, Annenberg Professor Emerita at the University of and wish them every success and Pennsylvania, has begun work on a three-year study of Photo: Corinne Owen/RSP ‘international medical humanitarianism and human rights happiness in the witnessing in action’, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. future. The past year has also seen two major innovations in our teaching activities: the nine-month MSt in Forced Migration and the re-designed three-week International David Turton Summer School.