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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): The Politics and Practice of Refugee Protection into the 21st Century
This is a concise and comprehensive introduction to both the world of refugees and the UN organization that protects and assists them.
Written by experts in the field, this is one of the very few books that trace the relationship between state interests, global politics, and the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Looking ahead into the twenty-first century, the authors outline how the changing nature of conflict and displacement poses UNHCR with a new array of challenges and how there exists a fundamental tension between the UN 's human rights agenda of protecting refugees fleeing conflict and persecution and the security, political and economic interests of states around the world.
Key topics discussed include:
The UNHCR as an actor in world politics since 1950 Refugee definition and protection instruments New challenges to the UNHCR's mandate Institutional strengths and weaknesses Asylum crises in the global North and global South Protracted refugee situations and internally displaced persons Key criticisms and continuing relevance of the UNHCR.
Written by experts in the field, this is one of the very few books that trace the relationship between state interests, global politics, and the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Looking ahead into the twenty-first century, the authors outline how the changing nature of conflict and displacement poses UNHCR with a new array of challenges and how there exists a fundamental tension between the UN 's human rights agenda of protecting refugees fleeing conflict and persecution and the security, political and economic interests of states around the world.
Key topics discussed include:
The UNHCR as an actor in world politics since 1950 Refugee definition and protection instruments New challenges to the UNHCR's mandate Institutional strengths and weaknesses Asylum crises in the global North and global South Protracted refugee situations and internally displaced persons Key criticisms and continuing relevance of the UNHCR.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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75 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Betts
23 books20 followersAlexander Betts is Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs, William Golding Senior Fellow in Politics at Brasenose College, and Associate Head (Doctoral and Research Training) of the Social Science Division, at the University of Oxford. He served as Director of the Refugee Studies Centre between 2014 and 2017. His research focuses mainly on the political economy of refugee assistance, with a focus on Africa.
He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, was named by Foreign Policy magazine in the top 100 global thinkers of 2016, and his TED talks have been viewed by over 3 million people. He has previously worked for UNHCR and has served as a Councillor on the World Refugee Council. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Guardian. He currently leads the IKEA Foundation-funded Refugee Economies Programme, which undertakes participatory research on the economic lives of refugees in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. He received his MPhil (with distinction) and DPhil from the University of Oxford.
He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, was named by Foreign Policy magazine in the top 100 global thinkers of 2016, and his TED talks have been viewed by over 3 million people. He has previously worked for UNHCR and has served as a Councillor on the World Refugee Council. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Guardian. He currently leads the IKEA Foundation-funded Refugee Economies Programme, which undertakes participatory research on the economic lives of refugees in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. He received his MPhil (with distinction) and DPhil from the University of Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 2, 2018
Governmental bureaucrats, living an excellent life, do the best they can do to push more funds in their family's direction. Of course the refugees have an execrable life after decades of these paper pushers eating up so much money on travel and meetings, but "imagine how much worse would it be without them bureaucrats". Simply disgusting. Exploitation at its best.
December 17, 2024
As a UNCHR staff member, this book has been phenomenal for me to understand how that UNHCR became to existence the politics, the dynamics and the global politics that shaped it and its response around the world.
It also highlights the key high commissioners that shaped policies and the agencies response throughout history, making it the sole UN refugee agency.
It also highlights the key high commissioners that shaped policies and the agencies response throughout history, making it the sole UN refugee agency.
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August 7, 2020Read for Asylum Seeker Policy unit at University.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews