Refugees and Humanitarian Response

Catalog description

This course will examine the practical and ethical challenges facing refugees and humanitarian actors in the contemporary world. We will survey the causes of forced migration, explore global trends in displacement and humanitarian aid and analyze the laws and institutions that facilitate (or inhibit) refugee protection. We will consider the challenges that refugees face throughout their journey, from border crossings, to refugee camps, to resettlement communities, as well as the practical and ethical tradeoffs that humanitarian actors must weigh in providing assistance and protection. The course will include a community engagement component related to refugee resettlement in Harrisonburg.