International Refugee Protection and Sustainable Development
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
This course aims
· to introduce the students to the multidisciplinary intersection of and relationship between the Refugee Protection and the Sustainable Development regimes
· to provide students with the necessary knowledge and tools which will allow them to understand and position themselves critically with regard to a variety of issues related to refugees and other forced migrants, and to the importance of a sustainable development approach regarding their protection.
· to introduce the students to the multidisciplinary intersection of and relationship between the Refugee Protection and the Sustainable Development regimes
· to provide students with the necessary knowledge and tools which will allow them to understand and position themselves critically with regard to a variety of issues related to refugees and other forced migrants, and to the importance of a sustainable development approach regarding their protection.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will:
· Have gained knowledge of some of the most important norms, institutions, and procedures that the international community has devised to protect refugees and other forced migrants, as well as of the most relevant global initiatives on Sustainable Development
· Be equipped with the historical, political, and legal knowledge necessary to understand the major challenges faced by the international community pertaining to the protection of refugees and other forced migrants, and sustainable development
· Be able to analyse the different contexts in which the Forced Migration and the Sustainable Development regimes may interact
· Have learned how to analyze the protection of refugees and other forced migrants under a sustainable development perspective and to assess different ways in which refugees and other forced migrants may benefit from the Sustainable Development regime
· Have developed the ability to think laterally across a range of issues, to see how different types of evidence interrelate, and to have an awareness of the potential diversity of response to any given problem
· Be able to critically discuss issues and evidence in a clear, balanced, and effective manner
· Have gained knowledge of some of the most important norms, institutions, and procedures that the international community has devised to protect refugees and other forced migrants, as well as of the most relevant global initiatives on Sustainable Development
· Be equipped with the historical, political, and legal knowledge necessary to understand the major challenges faced by the international community pertaining to the protection of refugees and other forced migrants, and sustainable development
· Be able to analyse the different contexts in which the Forced Migration and the Sustainable Development regimes may interact
· Have learned how to analyze the protection of refugees and other forced migrants under a sustainable development perspective and to assess different ways in which refugees and other forced migrants may benefit from the Sustainable Development regime
· Have developed the ability to think laterally across a range of issues, to see how different types of evidence interrelate, and to have an awareness of the potential diversity of response to any given problem
· Be able to critically discuss issues and evidence in a clear, balanced, and effective manner
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
This course examines the multidisciplinary intersection of and relationship between two major regimes: Refugee Protection and Sustainable Development. It gives special attention to the evolving set of legal norms, institutions, procedures, and practice that have emerged from the international community's resolve to protect refugees and other forced migrants.
The course adopts two complementary methodologies: seminars and case studies combined with presentations by the students. The seminars begin with an introduction to the international human rights and the asylum regimes, and with a review of relevant concepts and definitions. It then continues with a historical perspective of the pre-United Nations initiatives to protect refugees and introduces the normative ethics and politics of refugee protection. That is followed by an analysis of both the legal and institutional pillars of the refugee regime, i.e. of the refugee definitions captured in various international instruments and of the protection granted by the UNHCR, respectively. The normative and institutional arrangements put in place for the protection of IDPs and stateless persons will be referred to throughout the course. Seminars will also discuss the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels). Towards the end of the course students will analyze both development initiatives that may produce forced displacement, and those that may be implemented in areas that receive forced migrants.
The sessions and ensuing discussions will be based on state-of-the-art literature (academic and institutional publications) on both Refugee Protection and Sustainable Development.
The course adopts two complementary methodologies: seminars and case studies combined with presentations by the students. The seminars begin with an introduction to the international human rights and the asylum regimes, and with a review of relevant concepts and definitions. It then continues with a historical perspective of the pre-United Nations initiatives to protect refugees and introduces the normative ethics and politics of refugee protection. That is followed by an analysis of both the legal and institutional pillars of the refugee regime, i.e. of the refugee definitions captured in various international instruments and of the protection granted by the UNHCR, respectively. The normative and institutional arrangements put in place for the protection of IDPs and stateless persons will be referred to throughout the course. Seminars will also discuss the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels). Towards the end of the course students will analyze both development initiatives that may produce forced displacement, and those that may be implemented in areas that receive forced migrants.
The sessions and ensuing discussions will be based on state-of-the-art literature (academic and institutional publications) on both Refugee Protection and Sustainable Development.
Prerequisites for admission
N/A
Teaching methods
The course's teaching method will be based on guided reading of texts and seminars which will encompass lectures, group discussions of particular issues, students' presentations, and case studies.
Teaching Resources
UN/GA, Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 14 December 1950, A/RES/428(V).
UN/GA. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 28 July 1951, 189 United Nations Treaty Series (1954), p. 137-184.
UN/GA. Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, 31 January 1967, 606 United Nations Treaty Series (1967), p. 267-276.
UN/ECOSOC. Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, 22 July 1998, ADM 1.1,PRL 12.1, PR00/98/109.
OAU. African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), 23 October 2009.
UN/GA. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 21 October 2015, A/RES/70/1.
UN/GA. New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, 3 October 2016, A/RES/71/1.
UN/GA. Global Compact on Refugees, 17 December 2018.
UN/GA. Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, 19 December 2018.
UNHCR. Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status and Guidelines on International Protection Under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, April 2019, HCR/1P/4/ENG/REV. 4
UNHCR. Procedural Standards for Refugee Status Determination Under UNHCR's Mandate, 26 August 2020.
UNHCR. Refugee Data Finder.
Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, E. et al. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, Oxford, OUP, 2014.
Costello, C. et al. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Refugee Law, Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Goodwin-Gill, G. & McAdam, J. The Refugee in International Law. 4th Ed., Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Hathaway, J.C. The Rights of Refugees under International Law. 2nd Ed., Cambridge, CUP, 2021.
Kelly, N. People Forced to Flee - History, Change and Challenge. Oxford, OUP/UNHCR, 2022.
Krause, U. Linking Refugee Protection with Development Assistance. Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2013.
Loescher, G. Refugees - a very short introduction. Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Refugee Studies Quarterly (Oxford University Press, 1982-)
Forced Migration Review (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University, 1987-)
Journal of Refugee Studies (Oxford University Press, 1988-)
International Journal of Refugee Law (Oxford University Press, 1989-)
International Journal of Sustainable Development (Inderscience Publishers, 1998-)
Journal of Sustainable Development (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2008-)
European Journal of Sustainable Development (European Center of Sustainable development, 2012-)
Sustainable Development (Wiley Online Library)
www.unhcr.org
www.refworld.org
www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/
www.unhcr.org/rimap-treaty-legislation-dashboard
rimap.unhcr.org
UN/GA. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 28 July 1951, 189 United Nations Treaty Series (1954), p. 137-184.
UN/GA. Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, 31 January 1967, 606 United Nations Treaty Series (1967), p. 267-276.
UN/ECOSOC. Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, 22 July 1998, ADM 1.1,PRL 12.1, PR00/98/109.
OAU. African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), 23 October 2009.
UN/GA. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 21 October 2015, A/RES/70/1.
UN/GA. New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, 3 October 2016, A/RES/71/1.
UN/GA. Global Compact on Refugees, 17 December 2018.
UN/GA. Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, 19 December 2018.
UNHCR. Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status and Guidelines on International Protection Under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, April 2019, HCR/1P/4/ENG/REV. 4
UNHCR. Procedural Standards for Refugee Status Determination Under UNHCR's Mandate, 26 August 2020.
UNHCR. Refugee Data Finder.
Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, E. et al. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, Oxford, OUP, 2014.
Costello, C. et al. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Refugee Law, Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Goodwin-Gill, G. & McAdam, J. The Refugee in International Law. 4th Ed., Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Hathaway, J.C. The Rights of Refugees under International Law. 2nd Ed., Cambridge, CUP, 2021.
Kelly, N. People Forced to Flee - History, Change and Challenge. Oxford, OUP/UNHCR, 2022.
Krause, U. Linking Refugee Protection with Development Assistance. Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2013.
Loescher, G. Refugees - a very short introduction. Oxford, OUP, 2021.
Refugee Studies Quarterly (Oxford University Press, 1982-)
Forced Migration Review (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University, 1987-)
Journal of Refugee Studies (Oxford University Press, 1988-)
International Journal of Refugee Law (Oxford University Press, 1989-)
International Journal of Sustainable Development (Inderscience Publishers, 1998-)
Journal of Sustainable Development (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2008-)
European Journal of Sustainable Development (European Center of Sustainable development, 2012-)
Sustainable Development (Wiley Online Library)
www.unhcr.org
www.refworld.org
www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/
www.unhcr.org/rimap-treaty-legislation-dashboard
rimap.unhcr.org
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment will be based on the students' attendance (at least 75% of sessions) and active participation in the course, as well as on their performances on written assignments, group discussions, presentations, and case studies.
IUS/13 - INTERNATIONAL LAW - University credits: 6
Lessons: 42 hours
Professor:
Fischel De Andrade Jose' Henrique
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Fischel De Andrade Jose' HenriqueEducational website(s)
Professor(s)