The Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies (NCHS) and the Migration Research Group at PRIO invite you to a breakfast seminar to discuss Refuge. Transforming a Broken Refugee System on Tuesday 2 May.
Background
Oxford professors Alexander Betts and Paul Collier have just published a much-awaited book entitled Refuge. Transforming a Broken Refugee System. The book seeks to offer 'a workable system that can sustainably offer sanctuary to the world's refugees.' This system focuses on 'safe havens' in countries that neighbour conflict and crisis, where refugees can be accommodated in a cost-effective way while awaiting return to their country of origin. These safe havens must provide opportunities for employment, so that refugees can then help themselves while contributing to local economies. The system requires greater contributions from donors as well as private-sector partnerships.
The book has received mixed reactions in the weeks since it was published. Have Betts and Collier properly understood the problem and its causes? Are their ideas really new? And would their system help refugees, or make them more vulnerable? Or perhaps such questions are just distractions from an admirable attempt to be constructive?
We debate whether Refuge holds the key to better policies for refugee protection.
Program
08:15 - Light Breakfast
08:30 - Welcome and Introduction
Jørgen Carling - Research Professor, PRIO
08:40 - Interventions
Frode Forfang - Director General of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
Marta Bivand Erdal - Senior Researcher, PRIO
Pål Nesse - Senior Advisor, Norwegian Research Council
Cindy Horst - Research Director, PRIO
09:20 - Questions and comments
09:45 - End of the seminar
Further reading
An extract of Refuge can be found on the publisher's website here.
A summary of Betts and Collier's ten-point plan in iNews can be found here.
An interview with Betts and Collier discussing their book on CNN can be found here.
An interview with Collier on BBC HARDtalk can be found here.
A review of Refuge by Heaven Crawley can be found in the journal Nature here.
A review of Refuge by the Economist can be found here.
Please contact Amanda Cellini (amacel@prio.org) with any questions.
