Unlocking crises of protracted displacement for refugees and internally displaced persons
This innovative research and policy project, led by the Centre’s former Director, Emeritus Professor Roger Zetter,andPolicy Programme Manager,Héloïse Ruaudel,aims to provide analysis which can assist policymakers (in countries of origin and countries of displacement) and international actors in unlocking the conditions of protracted displacement, the scale and dimensions of which demand an urgent response. This project draws on the findings of three case studies exploring Central America during the 1980s and 1990s, contemporary displacements of Somalis, and Iraqi displacement.
The project underscores the inadequacy of the three traditional ‘durable solutions’ and suggests a number of innovative strategies which might better match international policy to the needs of those trapped in protracted displacement. It links the top-down perspectives of the state and regional conditions which underpin protracted displacement with an exploration of ‘people-based’ perspectives, focusing on the perceptions, interests and the role of displaced populations themselves, local communities and, where relevant, transnational networks or diaspora.
The project combines the complementary knowledge of the RSC, the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), and the Norwegian Refugee Council(NRC)/ Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
A series of events aimed at engaging policymakers and practitioners at different stages and over different aspects of the project and to disseminate research findings took place in Geneva (June 2011), Nairobi (November 2011), London (February 2012) and Amman (March 2012).
Selected publications
- Ruaudel, H. (2012) 'Iraqi Protracted Displacement', RSC Workshop Report, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford
- Zetter, R., Chatty, D., Mansour N., Lindley A., Bradley, M. (2011) ‘Protracted Displacement: The challenges of protection’, Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 30, Number 1.
- Long, K. (2011) 'Permanent Crises? Unlocking the protracted displacement of refugees and internally displaced persons', Policy Overview, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
- Lindley, A. (2011) 'Unlocking protracted displacement: Somali case study', RSC Working Paper 79, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
- Lindley, A. and Caterina, M. (2011) 'Between protracted and crisis displacement: policy responses to Somali displacement', RSC Workshop Report, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
- Chatty, D. and Mansour, N. (2011) 'Unlocking Protracted Displacement: An Iraqi case study', RSC Working Paper 78, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
- Bradley, M. (2011) 'Unlocking Protracted Displacement: Central America’s ‘success story’ reconsidered', RSC Working Paper 77, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
