POL 182 — Refugee Crises Across the Globe
Spring
Wednesdays
7:00—8:50 pm
Date(s)
Apr 13—May 18
6 weeks
Drop By
Apr 26
1 Units
Fees
$265
Format
On-campus course
Open
The surge in refugees from Africa, the Middle
East, and West Asia to Turkey and Europe is the
most recent chapter in an unfolding human story of
transition and adaptation. A succession of migrations
globally has energized debates about a number of
salient issues, including: the causes of displacement; the
motivations of those seeking safe haven; the risks for
vulnerable people when official channels for moving to
safer situations are restricted; the political, legal, and
practical complexities for governments receiving large
numbers of asylum seekers; and, what constitutes a
humanitarian response and how to share these responsibilities.
This course introduces students to key concepts
and institutions governing the international legal and
humanitarian system with respect to refugees. Against
this backdrop, we will delve into the causes of migrations
currently taking place; the discourses, conflicts,
and policies in relation to them; and the implications
and impact of various approaches. Using a variety of
aesthetic and academic materials, including witness
narratives, documentary, photography, reportage,
academic research, and policy briefs, we will weave
together the human experience and the processes
shaping events.
Anupma Kulkarni, Fellow, Stanford Center for International Conflict and Negotiation; Co-Director, West Africa Transitional Justice Project
Anupma Kulkarni specializes in transitional justice, the ways in which postwar and post-authoritarian societies address matters of memory and accountability for human rights violations as part of the larger project of bringing about democratic change and reconciliation. She is co-directing a cross-national study on the impact of truth commissions and international criminal tribunals from the perspective of victims of human rights violations in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.Textbooks for this course:
(Required) Caroline Moorehead, Human Cargo: A Journey Among Refugees (ISBN 978-0312425616)
(Required) Ben Rawlence, City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp (ISBN 978-1250067630)
(Required) Ben Rawlence, City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp (ISBN 978-1250067630)