Master’s Thesis A Long Way Home Spontaneous Returns and Potential Returns of Syrian Refugees Examined Author: Shant Kerbabian Supervisor: Manuela Nilsson Term: VT19 Subject: Peace and Development Work Level: Master’s Level Course code: 4FU42E i Abstract The recent wave of Syrian refugees’ spontaneous return to conflict areas in Syria is not a new phenomenon, various cases of return to areas that do not meet safety and security standards has happened in cases like Somali refugees returning from Kenya or Angolan refugees returning from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the Syrian case is important to study in order to examine any new patterns or elements in refugee returns that could arise or could be unpacked. This study examines Syrian refugees’ spontaneous returns, to what is considered by the international community as unsafe Syria and discusses the reasons for return that were provided by refugees returning currently and refugees who answer the question of return. The study finds that the notion of “home” and “homeland” are amongst the most influential when it comes to the decision to return coupled with push factors like livelihood issues and discrimination in host countries, in addition to pull factors from country of origin like amnesty regarding military conscription. The study finds that refugees not returning do so due to starting a new life, not having guarantees of safety and having lost everything in their home country. The study confirms King’s (2000) argument regarding home country pull factors having a bigger influence in impacting refugee returns. This study uses discourse analysis as a method using the proposed framework of Teun A. van Dijk’s (1985, 2011), the primary data source are interviews by Syrian refugees on YouTube in the Arabic Language. YouTube was chosen due to the role it played throughout the Syrian uprising in providing news to Syrians. The analysis of the data will use a four-dimensional framework which dissects push and pull factors, then examines them through the transnational and diaspora theories for refugee returns and has the place-identity theory as an overall starting point. The study concludes by recommending the international community pays more attention to the psychological factors from the home country so interventions and programmes of return make sure refugees are safe, protected and not falsely lured into return. Key words Syria, Return Migration, Spontaneous Return, Syrian Refugees, Diaspora, Homeland, transnationalism ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank first of all my supervisor, Manuela Nilsson, for the time, resources and guidance she provided throughout the writing process, I would also like to thank all the professors, staff and my classmates at Linnaeus University for the dedication, support and inspiration. I would also like thank my family for the good genes and the unconditional love. Also, my partner for the love and support throughout the whole year. iii Table of contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................ iii Table of contents .................................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................ v List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... vi 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Research Problem and Relevance ......................................................................................... 2 1.3 Objective and Research Questions: ....................................................................................... 4 1.4 Methodological and Analytical Framework.......................................................................... 4 1.5 Structure ................................................................................................................................. 5 2 Theoretical and Analytical Framework ...................................................................................... 5 2.1 Forms of Voluntary Return Migration .................................................................................. 5 2.2 Other Factors Impacting Return Decisions: ......................................................................... 8 2.3 Return migration during conflict: ......................................................................................... 8 2.4 Return Migration and Transnationalism: ............................................................................. 9 2.5 Diaspora: .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.6 Home, Place and Identity: ................................................................................................... 13 2.7 Four-Dimensional Analytical Framework .......................................................................... 14 3 Methodological Framework: ...................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Research Design: ................................................................................................................. 15 3.2 Data Collection and Analysis: ............................................................................................. 15 3.3 Discourse Analysis ............................................................................................................... 16 3.4 Limitations: .......................................................................................................................... 17 3.5 Delimitations: ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.6 Ethical Considerations: ....................................................................................................... 17 4 Findings ........................................................................................................................................ 18 4.1 Syrians on their Way to Syria (Why Return?) .................................................................... 18 4.1.1 “Homeland is precious”: ............................................................................................... 18 4.1.2 Discrimination and Livelihood Issues ........................................................................... 21 4.1.3 Amnesty as a Pull Factor for Young Men ..................................................................... 22 4.2 Syrians Abroad Discussing Return (Would You Return?) ................................................. 23 4.2.1 Refugees Who Would Return ....................................................................................... 24 4.2.2 “Yes ... If ... “ ................................................................................................................ 26 4.2.3 No Return ...................................................................................................................... 27 5 Analysis & Discussion ................................................................................................................. 32 6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 38 References:........................................................................................................................................... 41 Videos ................................................................................................................................................... 54 iv List of Figures Figure 1: Return Migration Patter Graph …………………………………….. 32 v List of Abbreviations BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation CAN – Channel News Asia CNN – Cable News Network DRC – Democratic Republic of Congo IDP – Internally Displaced Persons IOM – International Organization for Migration UK – United Kingdom UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UN – United Nations US – United States vi 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The Syrian revolution turned civil war has ravaged the country and caused one of the biggest refugee crises in recent history (World Vision, 2019). According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, over 5.6 million Syrians have fled the country and around 6.2 Syrians are internally displaced (UNHCR, 2019 a). What started as a revolution in March 2011 turned into a bloody civil war after the Syrian government's violent crackdown on peaceful protestors with over 400,000 Syrians killed to this day (CNN, 2019). After the government’s crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators many from the Syrian army started defecting and in July 2011 the formation of the Free Syrian Army was announced with the aim of overthrowing the government. This marked the beginning of a violent conflict that soon slid into a civil