22
Apr
Transnational State Repressions, Abductions, and Refoulements in the Horn of Africa
Domestic repression and human rights abuses are well documented across the Horn of Africa, yet cross-border repression remains underexamined despite growing evidence of systematic transnational operations—including abductions, enforced disappearances, and refoulements—that violate international law. This article highlights how such extraterritorial practices extend authoritarian control into regional and diaspora spaces. States including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti,... Read More
17
Apr
How China-Myanmar Relations Impact the Rohingya Crisis
Introduction How do China’s geopolitical actions and aspirations impact Myanmar’s domestic politics, particularly regarding the Rohingya refugee crisis? Taking a closer look at China’s historical and present-day relations with Myanmar, including the actions it has taken geopolitically, and the likely motives for these, this post investigates China’s impact on Myanmar’s attitudes towards the Rohingya and... Read More
7
Apr
Hope in Exile: Afghan Refugee Children Struggle for Education in Pakistan
In August 2021, my family had to leave our Kabul home, and all that was familiar to us, when Taliban came back to power. At this time, I was a student at high school, and I wanted to follow my dream of becoming a doctor, because I thought that education would protect me within a... Read More
18
Mar
Applying Modern Monetary Theory to the Housing Needs of Internally Displaced Persons in Colombia
Housing as a Human Right Housing is recognized as an essential element of human dignity. Article 25 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights affirms that everyone has the right to “a standard of living adequate for health and well-being,” including housing. The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) expands this... Read More
2
Feb
Suffering for Security: How the Refugee Crisis Leaves People Vulnerable to Human Trafficking
This blog piece from, M.A student Meaghan Phillips, is calling for the expansion of the definition of persecution within the 1951 Refugee Convention and for protections to be added to the Palermo Protocol. ————————————————————————————- —————————– As many know, mass migration is a topic in almost every current international political conversation. With large amounts of refugees... Read More
14
Jan
Research that reaches beyond the academy
Refugee Research Online (RRO) exists to make critical scholarship accessible—connecting researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community advocates working in forced migration and refugee education. As an open platform, we share research-informed insights and diverse voices that deepen understanding of educational transitions in displacement contexts. Our goal is simple: ensure that rigorous, ethically grounded research reaches the people... Read More
15
Sep
The Politics of Border Control: Refugees as Bargaining Chips in Foreign Policy
The ripple effects of civil wars, authoritarian crackdowns, economic crisis, climate change related natural disasters, and systemized inequality have all contributed to the runaway expansion of forced displacement that has taken place in the world in the twenty first century. What is new in more recent times is not only the continuity of forced displacement,... Read More
20
Aug
Between Fear and Hope: An interview with Ayat Altaii
Ayat Altaii has recently published the first volume of her memoir ‘Between Fear and Hope: A Journey from Iraq to America‘. Refugee Research Online spoke to Ayat about her book. Mark Rainey: Thank you for taking the time to speak with Refugee Research Online today and thank you for writing this book. It’s... Read More
2
Jul
Sexual Violence Against Migrant Women in Europe: A Need for Change and Greater Protection
Irregular migration and seeking asylum to the European Union can be dangerous for women. The paths they take lead many of them to their deaths. What’s more, forced to flee their countries of origin, they are more vulnerable to sexual violence. Even in their host country, they are more victims of gender-based violence (GBV) than... Read More
6
Jun
The Channel Crossing paradox: how the ever-increasing securitization of the UK-France border, fails to protect migrants’ lives and rights
2024 was a year of numbers. With the UEFA European Championship, the Paris Olympics, the European elections, the anticipated legislative elections in France, and the General Election in the UK, on both sides of the Channel, headlines were filled with numbers and records. In this sea of figures, one tragic broken record has been overlooked:... Read More