(The event report was originally published in December 2024)

On December 11, 2024, a panel discussion titled “Global South Reflections on a Routes-Based Approach to Migrationâ€� took place online. The event, hosted by the IDRC Research Chairs Network on Forced Migration and supported by LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network, featured Madeline Garlick from UNHCR and two IDRC Research Chairs, Matthew Bird (Peru) and Myriam Cherti (Morocco). The discussion delved into the 2024 UNHCR proposed “routes-based approachâ€� to advancing protection and solutions.   

Madeline Garlick, as Chief of the Protection Policy and Legal Advice Section in the Division of International Protection at UNHCR in Geneva, provided a detailed outline on UNHCR’s perspective on the . This new approach is potentially a paradigm shift in humanitarian responses to migration because of how it restructures protection support from a siloed country-based to integrated routes-based programming. This shift reflects the increased mixed-movements worldwide and the vast suffering among these mixed-movement routes. This approach does not aim to facilitate onward movement of refugees and migrants in an irregular manner, but rather seeks to find lawful ways to reconcile the sovereignty and legitimate interests of states in managing their borders with the rights of refugees and migrants under international and other relevant branches of law. 

Dr. Matthew Bird, as the IDRC Research Chair for Peru, and Dr. Myriam Cherti, as the IDRC Research Chair for Morocco, reflected on the proposed approach and contextualized it within the Americas and North African region, respectively. While a whole-of-route approach is a step forward in the coordination of multilateral and multistakeholder responses to increased mixed flows towards the Global North, it also raises important questions from a Global South perspective. Difficulties in making distinctions between refugees and migrants are complicated further as they journey through migration routes, passing various states which categorize them differently – constantly changing their eligibility for protection. This highlights the continuing need to understand the root causes of migration and displacement. Further, in framing the routes-based approach, it is important to bridge the humanitarian perspective to the developmental perspective. Localized evidence needs to demonstrate the potential benefits of taking a more comprehensive approach and the capacity for absorption to a national development agenda – especially in middle income countries where there is a capacity for socioeconomic integration and responsible sharing.   

While the routes-based approach is a step forward in ensuring international protection and respect of human rights, the frame of reference must include a context specific way of thinking in its implementation. By engaging context-specific and localized knowledge production, states along migration routes can develop more comprehensive support for refugees and migrants. Researchers hold a critical role in partnership with UNHCR and other policy makers for generating data to guide decisions.  

Watch the full video:

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On May 20, 2026, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted a virtual launch of the edited volume , which explores Canada’s role in responding to global displacement and advancing collective action for refugee protection. The book was published by McGill–Queen’s University Press as part of . 

Gathering prominent voices in the field, the volume explores Canada’s engagement across regional and global contexts and its involvement with international responses to displacement. Through insights on diplomacy, regional engagement, and resettlement initiatives, it reflects on the relationship between Canada’s international leadership and its domestic practices, offering a nuanced account that moves beyond simplistic narratives of benevolence. 

The webinar brought together over 80 participants globally, who were joined by the book’s three co-editors and seven of its 23 contributors: Delphine Nakache, James Milner, Nathan Benson, Adele Garnier, Alice Nah, Ania Kwadrans, Andrew Thompson, Dominique Marshall, Jennifer M. Hyndman, and Johanna Reynolds. The panel was also joined by the Honourable Bob Rae, Canada’s Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2020-2025).   

Across the 90-minute discussion, the authors highlighted key findings and arguments of their respective chapters, and also reflected on their hopes for the impact of this publication in policy spheres, educational spaces, and advocacy initiatives. The speakers explored topics such as Canada’s historical engagement with refugee protection, the gap between the country’s international reputation and its domestic practices, and concrete actions that Canada can take to redefine leadership globally. In bringing attention to areas in which Canada can strengthen its role in the regime, the authors emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships, meaningful participation, and sustained engagement in today’s world. 

As the international community celebrates the 75^th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, this book arrives at a pivotal moment in history amid mounting global challenges including record displacement, collapsing funding for UN agencies and programs, and a growing trend of states retreating from international refugee commitments. While Canada continues to be a leader in the regime throughout these shifting priorities, international solidarity is a necessity. This publication reminds audiences that positive change is a product of collective action and calls on other states to lead in a manner that fosters local accountability, uplifts civil society, and brings all stakeholders to the forefront of global collaboration. 

To reserve your copy of Canada in the Global Refugee Regime, visit .

Related blog post here:

Watch the full video recording of the webinar here:

This report was prepared by Lilly Neang, LERRN Knowledge Mobilization Officer and Project Editor-in-Chief (EiC).

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From 11 to 12 September 2025, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted a multi-day event marking the official launch of its new SSHRC Partnership Grant, Reimagining Responses to Forced Migration. The $2.5-million award—supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) alongside matching contributions from partner organizations—ushers in a new phase of collaborative, community-driven research on forced displacement.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University President and Vice-Chancellor Wisdom Tettey opened the event by underscoring the transformative power of inclusive research partnerships between academia and communities. He highlighted the vital role of collaborative approaches in advancing epistemic justice—reimagining spaces, structures, and processes by placing community expertise at the center of knowledge creation. President Tettey also recognized the past accomplishments of the LERRN partnership since 2018, including James Milner’s selection as a finalist for the 2025 SSHRC Impact Partnership Award, one of Canada’s highest distinctions in the social sciences and humanities.

LERRN Project Director James Milner emphasized that the partnership’s launch comes at a pivotal moment in history. With global displacement at record levels and access to protection and durable solutions becoming increasingly uncertain, the international refugee regime faces urgent and complex challenges. Co-Director Rez Gardi highlighted the need for bold thinking and innovative forms of collaboration, stressing that amid mounting threats to asylum, international cooperation, and multilateralism, it is more important than ever to unite and center the knowledge, agency, and expertise of displaced people.

The two-day program focused on four core objectives: affirming the shared goals and vision of the partnership; refining working group plans and identifying points of collaboration; articulating foundational principles; and establishing strategic priorities for the next six years ahead.

Across these discussions, participants reaffirmed their collective commitment to reshaping forced migration research, policy, and practice through inclusive, interdisciplinary, and localized approaches. The dialogue emphasized co-production of knowledge, meaningful capacity sharing, and advocacy that amplifies the voices and expertise of those most affected by displacement. The launch marks a significant step forward in building a more equitable, community-centered, and solutions-focused approach to understanding and responding to forced migration worldwide.

Related Post

The post LERRN Launches Landmark Partnership to Reimagine Global Responses to Forced Migration appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

Para la versión en español, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de esta página.

On February 08, 2025, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted a webinar to present and discuss the findings of a recently completed special research project on the Politics And Processes Of Refugee Leadership In The Global South, generously supported by the ,  with a specific focus on South America and East Africa. The webinar attracted over 100 participants from 19 different countries. The panellists discussed the results of an 18-month comparative study on the conditions that enable or constrain refugees from demonstrating leadership in local, national and regional power structures, and shared greater insight into how they think leadership can be redefined in the context of displacement and local solutions in the selected countries of the global South.  

The webinar was moderated by James Milner, who began the discussion with introductory remarks on the growing research interest in meaningful refugee participation and refugee-led organizations over the last decade. He reflected on the gap in the existing literature, which has predominantly conceptualized refugee leadership from the perspective of the Global North, particularly in humanitarian-based contexts that overlook forms of refugee leadership at the local level. Inspired by this research findings, he encouraged attendees to draw from the panellists’ presentations to critically reflect on how leadership is defined, understood, and mobilized.  

Stephanie Lopez Villamil, Project Lead Researcher in South America, presented her findings from research conducted in Chile and Colombia, where her team focused on leadership dynamics amongst displaced Venezuelan and Haitian populations. She highlighted how refugee leaders did not necessarily see themselves as leaders but rather thought of themselves as another member of the community trying to help others. Building on this, she noted the substantial differences between conventional political leadership and the circumstantial leadership positions that refugees assume when seeking out solutions to their plight. The South American research team also found that gender was a very relevant factor in the self-identification of leadership, with Dr. Lopez Villamil sharing how women, particularly in the Venezuelan community, were hesitant to refer to themselves as leaders. Her presentation concluded with reflections on the conditions that must be addressed in order to strengthen refugee leadership in the Global South, calling for greater social and mental health support, direct funding to RLOs, capacity-building, and increased opportunities for meaningful refugee participation. Her powerful words resonated with the audience, serving as a reminder that refugee leaders are powerful agents of change: 

Ronald Sebba Kalyango, Project Lead Researcher in East Africa, then shared his team’s insights from research based in Uganda and Kenya, which focused on refugee leadership in the urban contexts of Kampala and Nairobi as well as refugee settlements of Nakivale and Kakuma.  Dr. Kalyango’s presentation echoed the earlier conversation about how refugees become leaders by seeking solutions, sharing how many of the refugee leaders in the East Africa region start as activists, interpreters, and researchers who desire change.  

This notion of leadership affirmed similar findings of the South America research group, which also challenged conventional understandings of leadership by observing refugees in more informal spaces of advocacy and social movements. He then compared the challenges faced by refugee leaders in East Africa to those in South America, drawing similarities between barriers such as tokenization, precarious legal status, and male-dominated leadership structures. These barriers also exist within layers of complex intersectionality, wherein factors such as race, class, nationality, gender, and education can impact the types of challenges that refugee leaders face. Recognizing the need for greater equality amongst refugee leaders, Dr. Kalyango advocated for increased support for female refugee leaders in both RLO and political spheres.   

In response to these points, Dr. Milner invited both lead researchers to reflect on what leadership means to refugees in both regions, as well as how scholars and policymakers abroad can reframe how they think about leadership in practice. From the conversation, it became increasingly clear that current conventional understandings of leadership fail to capture the diverse and entrepreneurial nature of refugee leadership. There is tremendous diversity in the way that leadership is pursued, engaged, and expressed, and it does not need to be formally organized or related to a political structure. Dr. Kalyango emphasized that in these spaces, 

The discussion was furthered by valuable insights from Lublanc Prieto, Director of Fundación Refugiados Unidos, and Mohamed Hassan, research officer at the Refugee-Led Research Hub. Both panellists offered their own personal reflections on the research in conjunction with their own expertise and knowledge on refugee leadership. Culturally specific understandings of leadership, opportunities for collaboration both between and within refugee communities, and the entrenched systems of othering were key topics in this discussion. Each discussant also offered suggestions on how to address the barriers that limit effective refugee leadership. Central to these recommendations was the need for comprehensive capacity building. As Prieto emphasized, refugee leadership often emerges in informal spaces with limited resources, and leaders are continuously learning how to navigate the complex power dynamics while also serving their communities. Supporting refugee leadership thus requires going beyond traditional humanitarian programming and moving towards greater recognition for the social movements that emerge from refugee communities. It was further stressed that developing structures that allow for meaningful dialogue between refugee leaders and various actors is at the cornerstone of implementing meaningful refugee participation.  

Hassan added to this discussion by posing critical questions about whether refugee perspectives are prioritized and valued in formal policymaking settings. He emphasized the importance of addressing the tokenization and stigmatization that surrounds refugee leaders, and noted how meaningful participation means more than access to these spaces, but rather the chance for refugee leaders voices to be heard and influence decision making. He states that 

The Q&A session centered on mechanisms for accountability and transparency within organizations that support refugees, specifically in regard to how to track progress towards meaningful refugee participation and refugee leadership. Issues regarding inadequate funding, training programs, and reporting systems were discussed by the panellists as the primary pressure points in both regions, noting how political drawbacks and uncertainties may affect the future of ongoing projects. Dr. Lopez Villamil referred to this tension as the cycle of vulnerability that refugees face and highlighted how this is especially pertinent in South America where refugee leadership is still slowly emerging. Navigating a new country and unfamiliar systems may limit refugee leaders’ ability to compete for donor funding against larger humanitarian organizations, yet this does not negate the invaluable impact that they have.  

Despite facing structural and institutional limitations, the panellists discussed numerous instances wherein refugee leaders were mobilized as activists and agents of change. They concluded that the findings from the research project offered optimistic direction for redefining leadership and expressed their hopes that current understandings of the term can be expanded to become more inclusive of how refugee leaders learn, work, and elicit positive change.  As emphasized throughout the discussion, meaningful refugee participation requires moving beyond tokenized representation and recognizing that refugee leadership differs from traditional conceptualizations. Shifting the power towards localized solutions means creating spaces where refugee leaders can have their voices included in decision-making processes that affect their communities.  

For more information about the research project, you can visit the webpage here.  

En Español

El 8 de febrero de 2025,  el Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) organizó un seminario web para presentar y debatir las conclusiones de un proyecto de investigación especial recientemente finalizado sobre las políticas y los procesos de liderazgo de los refugiados en el Sur Global, generosamente financiado por la , con especial atención a Sudamérica y Ã�frica Oriental. El seminario atrajo a más de 100 participantes de 19 países. Los ponentes debatieron los resultados de un estudio comparativo de 18 meses de duración sobre las condiciones que permiten o limitan a los refugiados demostrar su liderazgo en las estructuras de poder locales, nacionales y regionales, y compartieron una amplia perspectiva sobre cómo creen que puede redefinirse el liderazgo en el contexto del desplazamiento y las soluciones locales en los países seleccionados del Sur global.  

El seminario web fue moderado por James Milner, que inició el debate con unas observaciones introductorias sobre el creciente interés de la investigación en la participación significativa de los refugiados y las organizaciones lideradas por refugiados en la última década. Reflexionó sobre el vacío existente en la bibliografía, que ha conceptualizado predominantemente el liderazgo de los refugiados desde la perspectiva del Norte Global, en particular en contextos de base humanitaria que pasan por alto formas de liderazgo de los refugiados a nivel local. Inspirado por los resultados de esta investigación, animó a los asistentes a aprovechar las presentaciones de los ponentes para reflexionar críticamente sobre cómo se define, entiende y moviliza el liderazgo.  

Stephanie López Villamil, investigadora principal del proyecto en Sudamérica, presentó los resultados de la investigación realizada en Chile y Colombia, en la que su equipo se centró en la dinámica del liderazgo entre las poblaciones desplazadas venezolana y haitiana. Destacó que los líderes y lideresas refugiadas no se veían necesariamente a sí mismos como líderes, sino más bien como un miembro más de la comunidad que intenta ayudar a los demás. A partir de ahí, señaló las diferencias sustanciales entre el liderazgo político convencional y las posiciones circunstanciales de liderazgo que asumen los refugiados cuando buscan soluciones a su difícil situación. El equipo de investigación sudamericano también descubrió que el género era un factor muy relevante en la autoidentificación del liderazgo, y la Dra. López Villamil compartió cómo las mujeres, especialmente en la comunidad venezolana, dudaban a la hora de referirse a sí mismas como lideresas. Su presentación concluyó con reflexiones sobre las condiciones que deben abordarse con el fin de fortalecer el liderazgo de los refugiados en el Sur Global, pidiendo un mayor apoyo psicosocial y de salud mental, la financiación directa a Organizaciones Lideradas por Refugiados – OLRs, el fortalecimiento de capacidades, y mayores oportunidades para la participación significativa de los refugiados. Sus poderosas palabras resonaron entre el público y sirvieron para recordar que los líderes y lideresas refugiadas son poderosos agentes de cambio: 

Ronald Sebba Kalyango, investigador principal del proyecto en Ã�frica Oriental, compartió a continuación las ideas de su equipo sobre la investigación realizada en Uganda y Kenia, centrada en el liderazgo de los refugiados en los contextos urbanos de Kampala y Nairobi, así como en los asentamientos de refugiados en Nakivale y Kakuma. La presentación del Dr. Kalyango hizo eco de la conversación anterior sobre cómo los refugiados se convierten en líderes buscando soluciones, compartiendo cómo muchos de los líderes refugiados en la región de Ã�frica Oriental comienzan como activistas, intérpretes e investigadores que desean el cambio.  

Esta noción de liderazgo reafirmó hallazgos similares del grupo de investigación de Sudamérica, que también desafió las concepciones convencionales del liderazgo al observar a los refugiados en espacios más informales de defensa y movimientos sociales. A continuación, comparó los retos a los que se enfrentan los líderes refugiados en Ã�frica Oriental con los de Sudamérica, estableciendo similitudes entre barreras como la simbolización, el precario estatus legal y las estructuras de liderazgo dominadas por los hombres. Estas barreras también existen dentro de capas de compleja interseccionalidad, en las que factores como la raza, la clase, la nacionalidad, el género y la educación pueden influir en los tipos de retos a los que se enfrentan los líderes refugiados. Reconociendo la necesidad de una mayor igualdad entre los líderes refugiados, el Dr. Kalyango abogó por un mayor apoyo a las mujeres líderes refugiadas tanto en el ámbito de las OLRs como en el político.  

En respuesta a estos puntos, el Dr. Milner invitó a ambos investigadores principales a reflexionar sobre lo que significa el liderazgo para los refugiados en ambas regiones, así como sobre la forma en que los académicos y los responsables políticos en el extranjero pueden replantearse su forma de pensar sobre el liderazgo en la práctica. A partir de la conversación, quedó cada vez más claro que las concepciones convencionales actuales del liderazgo no logran captar la naturaleza diversa y emprendedora del liderazgo de los refugiados. Hay una enorme diversidad en la forma en que el liderazgo se persigue, se compromete y se expresa, y no necesita estar formalmente organizado o relacionado con una estructura política. El Dr. Kalyango subrayó que, en estos espacios, 

El debate se enriqueció con los valiosos aportes de Lublanc Prieto, Directora de la Fundación Refugiados Unidos, y Mohamed Hassan, investigador del Refugee-Led Research Hub. Ambos ponentes ofrecieron sus reflexiones personales sobre la investigación, junto con su propia experiencia y conocimientos sobre el liderazgo de los refugiados. Los temas clave de este debate fueron las interpretaciones culturalmente específicas del liderazgo, las oportunidades de colaboración entre las comunidades de refugiados y dentro de ellas, y los arraigados sistemas de exclusión. Cada ponente ofreció también sugerencias sobre cómo abordar las barreras que limitan el liderazgo efectivo de los refugiados. En el centro de estas recomendaciones se encontraba la necesidad de un desarrollo integral de las capacidades. Como subrayó Prieto, el liderazgo de los refugiados suele surgir en espacios informales con recursos limitados, y los líderes aprenden continuamente a navegar por las complejas dinámicas de poder al tiempo que sirven a sus comunidades. Apoyar el liderazgo de los refugiados exige, por tanto, ir más allá de los programas humanitarios tradicionales y avanzar hacia un mayor reconocimiento de los movimientos sociales que surgen de las comunidades de refugiados. Además, se hizo hincapié en que el desarrollo de estructuras que permitan un diálogo significativo entre los líderes y lideresas de los refugiados y los diversos actores es la piedra angular de la aplicación de una participación significativa de los refugiados.  

Hassan se sumó a este debate planteando cuestiones críticas sobre si se priorizan y valoran las perspectivas de los refugiados en los entornos formales de formulación de políticas. Hizo hincapié en la importancia de abordar la ³Ù´Ç°ì±ð²Ô¾±³ú²¹³¦¾±Ã³²Ô y estigmatización que rodea a los líderes refugiados, y señaló que una participación significativa va más allá del acceso a estos espacios, siendo más bien la oportunidad de que las voces de los líderes refugiados sean escuchadas e influyan en la toma de decisiones. Afirma que 

La sesión de preguntas y respuestas se centró en los mecanismos de rendición de cuentas y transparencia de las organizaciones que apoyan a los refugiados. En concreto sobre cómo hacer un seguimiento de los avances hacia una participación y un liderazgo significativos de los refugiados. Los panelistas debatieron cuestiones relativas a la financiación inadecuada, los programas de formación y los sistemas de información como principales puntos de presión en ambas regiones, y señalaron cómo los inconvenientes y las incertidumbres políticas pueden afectar al futuro de los proyectos en curso. La Dra. López Villamil se refirió a esta tensión como el ciclo de vulnerabilidad al que se enfrentan los refugiados y destacó cómo esto es especialmente pertinente en Sudamérica, donde el liderazgo de los refugiados aún está emergiendo lentamente. Navegar por un nuevo país y por sistemas desconocidos puede limitar la capacidad de los líderes y lideresas refugiadas para competir por la financiación de los donantes con organizaciones humanitarias más grandes, pero esto no niega el inestimable impacto que tienen.  

A pesar de enfrentarse a limitaciones estructurales e institucionales, los ponentes debatieron numerosos casos en los que los líderes refugiados se movilizaron como activistas y agentes del cambio. Llegaron a la conclusión de que los resultados del proyecto de investigación ofrecían una orientación optimista para redefinir el liderazgo y expresaron su esperanza de que la interpretación actual del término pueda ampliarse para incluir en mayor medida la forma en que los líderes refugiados aprenden, trabajan y generan cambios positivos.  Como se subrayó a lo largo del debate, la participación significativa de los refugiados exige ir más allá de la representación simbólica y reconocer que el liderazgo de los refugiados difiere de las conceptualizaciones tradicionales. Desplazar el poder hacia soluciones localizadas significa crear espacios en los que los líderes refugiados puedan hacer oír su voz en los procesos de toma de decisiones que afectan a sus comunidades 

Para más información sobre el proyecto de investigación, puede visitar la página web ²¹±ç³Üí.  

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The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted the “The Voices Rising: Refugee-Led Solutions� webinar on February 9, 2024. It served as an illuminating recap of the Voices Rising: Refugee-Led Solutions Conference 2023, a landmark event hosted in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. Organized by refugees themselves, this conference convened stakeholders to explore sustainable solutions for displaced populations. Panelists Edith Ingutia, Pascal Zigashane, Amin Bolis, Deline Ramiro, and Geofrey Ochala, with moderation by Rai Friedman, enriched the discussions with their expertise and insights, shedding light on various aspects of refugee-led solutions and the importance of collaborative efforts. Moreover, the webinar boasted an impressive attendance of 100 viewers from diverse regions including East Africa, Europe, North America, and South America, reflecting the global interest and commitment to refugee issues.

Throughout the webinar, key insights emerged, notably emphasizing the pivotal role of mutual support for Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) from various partner entities, including UN bodies, international and non-governmental organizations (I/NGOs), governments, and others. Discussions encompassed not only local challenges but also broader global perspectives on addressing refugee issues, underlining the necessity for collaboration and resource mobilization to support RLO interventions effectively. The webinar further delved into the specific challenges encountered in refugee camps like Kakuma and the Kalobeyei settlement, emphasizing the urgency of tailored solutions and direct engagement with affected communities.

Reflecting on the Voices Rising: Refugee-Led Solutions Conference 2023, the importance of refugee-led organizations emerged as a central theme. The conference provided a platform for these organizations to showcase their expertise and foster collaboration with stakeholders, emphasizing the significance of partnerships and meaningful engagement with INGOs, NGOs, and the government of Kenya. Furthermore, discussions highlighted the multifaceted challenges faced by refugees, ranging from access to education and healthcare to economic opportunities. Sustainable solutions addressing these root causes were underscored as imperative for long-term impact.

As the webinar concluded, a clear call to action resonated: continued support and collaboration are vital to empower RLOs and to address the underlying challenges faced by refugees. Meaningful engagement, capacity building, and resource mobilization were identified as key components for sustainable impact. In summary, the Voices Rising: Refugee-Led Solutions Webinar provided invaluable insights into the critical importance of refugee-led initiatives and the collaborative efforts required to address refugee challenges effectively.

Find more about

If you are interested in supporting Refugee-led Organizations in Kakuma & Kalobeyei, please complete the questionnaire here:

Webinar report prepared by: Georgiana Ghitau, Knowledge Mobilization & Translation Officer, LERRN

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The Refugee Advisory Network of Canada (RAN Canada) organized its inaugural webinar titled “Meaningful Refugee Participation: Taking Stock and Charting the Way Forward” in celebration of World Refugee Day on June 20, 2023. With 53 participants from 10 different countries, the webinar explored the concept of meaningful refugee participation and discuss its significance in improving the lives of refugees. The panel featured representatives from four refugee-led organizations (RLOs), including Dr. Hourie Tafech from United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB), Rabia Talal Almbaid from New Zealand Refugee Advisory Panel (NZRAP), Mustafa Alio from Refugees Seeking Equal Access to Table (R-SEAT), and Tsering Norzom Thonsur from Refugee Advisory Network of Canada (RAN Canada). The panel discussion was moderated by Dawit Demoz from RAN Canada.

During the panel discussion, the participants briefly shared their perspectives on what meaningful refugee participation meant to them. Dr. Tafech stated that meaningful refugee participation should aim for normalization, where refugees do not have to advocate for their place at decision-making tables. Rabia emphasized the importance of ensuring that all refugees’ voices, including those who consider themselves former refugees, are heard and valued. Tsering expressed her encouragement from this year’s World Refugee Day, where the hope carried by refugees should be matched by non-refugees. Mustafa highlighted that meaningful refugee participation is a learning curve and a means to achieve better outcomes, calling for patience and mutual efforts between refugee advisors and governments.

The webinar provided valuable insights into the concept of meaningful refugee participation and the challenges and opportunities associated with it. The panelists emphasized the need for sustained collaboration, genuine intention from governments, and equitable representation to advance meaningful refugee participation. The discussion highlighted the role of CSOs, evidence-based research, and refugee voices in shaping policies and improving the lives of refugees. The panelists emphasized that meaningful refugee participation is a continuous learning process and called for ongoing efforts to ensure better outcomes for all refugees.

The conversation can be followed on , where they welcome further engagement and feedback on the topic of meaningful refugee participation. To learn more about RAN Canada, please visit their .

Full Webinar Report | Rapport de webinaire complet

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Rapport Webinaire de RAN Canada sur la participation significative des réfugiés

Webinar Report | Meaningful Refugee Participation: Charting the Way Forward

Webinar Participants

Moderator

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Dawit Demoz

• Advisor, RAN Canada; Program Manager, Jumpstart Refugee Talent

Panelists

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Hourie Tafech

• Advisor, USRAB (United States Refugee Advisory Board); Program Manager, Refugees International

Mustafa Alio

• Co-Managing Director, R-SEAT

Rabia Talal Almbaid

• Panelist, New Zealand Refugee Advisory Panel

Tsering Norzom Thonsur

• Advisor, RAN Canada; Manager, Settlement Program, Parkdale Intercultural Association

This report was prepared by Nadeea Rahim, LERRN Research Support and Program Officer.

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Event details and recordings available here.

On Monday, April 24^th, viewers across 29 countries attended the virtual book launch of The Right to Research anthology published by McGill-Queen’s University Press as part of their Forced Migration Studies Series. The conversation, moderated by Professor Jeremy Adelman (Princeton University), revolved around contributors’ and editors’ personal experiences as historians, the challenges of the concept of the “right to research,� and the opportunities and difficulties they face while striving to change the way historical scholarship is produced while in displacement.

Jeremy Adelman opened the discussion by asking how this anthology came to be. Professor Marcia C. Schenck, one of the book’s editors, responded by stating that the anthology is an effort to confront the suppression of particular accounts and collections of historical records. These silences on the archival and narrative production level were initially drawn to Prof. Schenck’s attention in 2016, when she worked as a teaching assistant for a global history course taught to refugee learners in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Gerawork Gizaw, one of her students who went on to become a contributor to the volume, raised the fact that refugees and displaced people were largely missing from large-scale historical narratives, and that even fewer refugees were present as historians authoring those narratives. With the Global History Lab at Princeton University, this prompted her to develop the Global History Dialogues Project, which trains student-researchers with all kinds of relationships to citizenship and statelessness in oral history research methods, and supports them in conducting original oral history research on topics of their choice. It was from the context of this course that all of the essays in The Right to Research first developed.

Jeremy Adelman then turned to some of those research projects. Alain Jules Hirwa delved into how hip-hop culture in Kenya can function as a mental migration and an expression of political dissent. Gerawork Gizaw focused on refugee education in the Kakuma camp by looking at the historical perspective of education quality versus expansion. Jeremy asked the participants to expand on the idea of becoming a researcher for people who are from the Global South or forced migration background. For Lazha Taha, becoming a researcher proved that her interests in Kurdish photojournalism and archive preservation hold professional and academic value. Muna Omar, as a person from a refugee and marginalized background, expressed the systemic challenges and biases within academia. For her, becoming a researcher allowed her to start dismantling the mentality that normalized the unfair treatment of refugees in Yemen. For Sandrine Cyuzuzo Iribagiza, becoming a researcher who analyzes Intore traditional dance involved working with others and using various sources to create a final product.

Expanding from the position of the researcher, Ismail Alkhateeb emphasized the importance of empathy and active listening in building a comfortable and safe environment for interviewees when conducting oral history research. As Richesse Ndiritiro echoed, the researcher is not a passive entity and their personal experience as a refugee and a researcher can help avoid biased narratives in research.

The concept of “the right to researchâ€� is a reference to Arjun Appadurai’s essay with the same title, in which he defines the right to research as a “right of a special kind,â€� a right to “make disciplined inquiries into those things we need to know, but do not know yetâ€� (p. 167). This right becomes fundamental to leading a meaningful life in a democratic society as a citizen. However, Marcia Schenck drew attention to necessary additions to Appadurai’s definition: “First of all, the right to research in the sense of inquiring into the things that we do not know yet and finding out about them in a systematic way is  fundamentally important … to people in all sorts of different spheres of life.â€� Indeed, the concept becomes even more critical for those who are partially or fully outside of the regimes of citizenship. Additionally, Marcia Schenck stated, “research is not something that happens in your individual room, by yourself, but it is something that happens in exchange with your interview partners, colleagues, and collaborators.â€� Gerawork Gizaw comments on this second aspect and states that not having access to this right means outsourcing the understanding and problem-solving capacities of an individual. The right to research, then, involves having the space to tell one’s story and share one’s experiences, especially in the context of refugee camps. In other words, the right to research is interpersonal and conversational.

After the panelists shared their personal experiences as researchers, they reflected on the impact of their research across academic, community, and policy spaces. According to Aime Parfait Emerusenge, studies included in the anthology provide a blueprint for collaboration between the Global North and Global South while highlighting the importance of discussing social realities, including displacement and cultural preservation. Kate Reed expanded on the idea of a conversation because each section in the anthology starts with a letter from the author addressing the reader, which acknowledges the position of the reader as a stakeholder in historical scholarship. Additionally, Kate Reed frames the anthology as an archive because “each contributor built their own archive of interviews with people in their local communities in contexts.� Phocas Maniraguha, for example, conducted research on traditional healers in East Africa, which highlights the importance of preserving the knowledge of older generations and making it accessible to younger generations and the wider community. Phocas Maniraguha’s research bridges the gap between academic researchers, policymakers, and community practitioners.

The Q&A portion of the event tackled various topics ranging from ethical research with traumatized groups to the limits of the “right to research.� While Muna Omar stated that the interviewees could feel safe more easily with researchers from marginalized backgrounds, Sandrine Iribagiza emphasized that the right to research as a concept goes beyond the boundaries of academia. Lazha Taha commented on the importance of this anthology in the field of forced migration and historical scholarship: “This book is a good way to learn about a diverse set of people from the world talking about their lives and struggles, and that’s what will make us contribute to each other’s shared knowledge.�

To conclude the event, each contributor and editor shared their final thoughts about what they’d like listeners to walk away from the conversation with. Sandrine Iribagiza shared that research plays a crucial role both at a personal level and in our societies at large, and that we need to share research-based knowledge to inform policy. Ismail Alkhateeb shared his aspiration for an “inclusive historyâ€� that gives “agency to those who are, in traditional research practices, framed as victims or treated as subjects of studies.â€� Phocas Maniraguha shared his hope that more young people in Eastern Africa are able to engage in research and build community. Lazha Taha noted that projects like this expose us to the diversity of the world, but also to shared problems and solutions. Alain Hirwa encouraged us to approach the world around us with greater curiosity and a researcher’s sensibility, to engage in the creation of our own research and archives. Richesse Ndiritiro noted that detailed historical research can open up the question of “who is a refugeeâ€� to policymakers, and that involving refugees in research can help address the challenges displaced people face. They are not just part of a vulnerable population, but crucial contributors and authors of research.  Aime Parfait Emerusenge emphasized the importance of research raising up untold stories and helping us take action. Muna Omar noted that refugees are often seen as “static numbersâ€� in the news, and that research and history writing can help illuminate the humanity of these individuals and create better humanitarian responses. Gerawork Gizaw addressed the issue of education and mobility. Technology has helped him obtain research training and other opportunities without mobility, and he hopes that a culture of doing research also develops as a result of this communication and exchange. Marcia Schenck stressed an understanding of the right to research as dialogical, in which refugees and others on the move have the ability to conduct a systematic inquiry, but also the ability to be taken seriously as producers and bearers of knowledge. Much of the onus falls on those of us within academic and policy spaces to shift the institutional, funding, and epistemic landscapes to create more horizontal, diverse discussions. Kate Reed, drawing on the conclusion of the anthology (which was coauthored by all of the contributors and editors), reflected on the importance of continuing to engage in work that facilitates new forms of knowledge production, while always remaining critically attentive to their limitations, and invited the audience to continue the conversations opened by the book and the webinar.

This report was prepared by Irem KarabaÄŸ, LERRN Project Writer, and Kate Reed, co-editor of The Right to Research Anthology.

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The Right to Research brings together the scholarship of nine historians with lived experience of displacement or statelessness. Covering topics from Burundian refugee drummers to Kurdish photojournalism to pottery and identity in Rwandan refugee camps, the volume asks what it would mean to take seriously a “right to research.� In this conversation, moderated by Professor Jeremy Adelman (Princeton), the contributors and editors will share their work and reflect on their experiences as part of a global research collaboration. They will share what becoming historians has meant for them, their views on “the right to research,� and the challenges and opportunities they see for changing what it means to produce historical scholarship from and in displacement.

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The last webinar in a series on Ethics in Forced Migration Research, co-hosted by the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) and the (RRN), focused on funding structures for research on forced migration. Panelists spoke of the ways individual researchers can contribute towards addressing these issues and how the structures in place need to shift in order to create substantial change.

Maha Shuayb brought her expertise as Director of the Centre for Lebanese Studies and Lead Investigator of LERRN’s Lebanon Working Group and brought her perspectives from the RRN. Coming from the perspective of donors, webinar participants also heard from of the German Development Institute and Roula El-Rifai, Senior Program Specialist at the (IDRC).

The panel began with a discussion on the additional challenges that many researchers in the global South face. Susan McGrath explained that access to such presumed basics as reliable electricity and the internet can be a barrier for researchers. She said some researchers do not have the same access to research assistants and in some regions, researchers must obtain permission before applying for research grants. Roula El-Rifai suggested that investing in sustainable institutions rather than individual researchers or individual projects can help address some of these capacity issues. According to her, institutions can play a crucial role in supporting ongoing research: “We have to use local institutions in a way to train the trainers. Local institutions become the hubs that can impact individual researchers as well as other institutions.� Funding research through opportunities like the IDRC’s is just one example of building up local institutional capacity to support sustainable localized research. Both Susan McGrath and Maha Shuayb pointed out the importance of supporting emerging scholars by creating resources like the . In McGrath’s view, emerging scholars lack the profile of more established scholars but can be supported with mentorship and other forms of support.

Coming from the global North perspective, Jörn Grävingholt explained that the whole industry of research needs to review its modes of operation. As one example of what needs to change, many scholars in the North will determine a topic for research in the South and then travel to conduct that research with a local partner, only to offer them a mere acknowledgement in a published article. The panelists agreed that scholars from the North should be including local researchers from the very beginning of the research design process. Grävingholt noted this way of doing research is beginning to change, but more needs to be done. He suggested that researchers from the North and the South have much to learn from each other.

Grävingholt reflected on how academic career incentive structures in the North reward individual authorship and published papers in academic journals, but do not reward research that helps local communities and do not incentivize making research accessible to the communities it affects. Instead, these career incentives hinder collaboration and uphold the hierarchical culture within academia. Maha Shuayb also critiqued how publishing research in an English language journal is not always helpful or accessible to refugee communities and host communities in the South who speak a different language. Roula El-Rifai highlighted the importance of redefining our understanding of knowledge, since knowledge continues to be Western-centric. Western scholars continue to be cited more frequently and their forms of knowledge privileged over diverse forms of knowledge produced in local contexts.

Finally, the panelists highlighted the importance of recognizing positive change. Over time, funding requirements have changed to support local leadership in research. As a scholar in the South ten years ago, Shuayb said she had to find a partner in the North to apply for funding, because she was not eligible to be a Principal Investigator (PI) on grant applications. Now she sees more opportunities for co-PIs in funding applications. Beyond forced migration studies, many fields are having similar conversations and there is much to learn from these other discussions. The COVID-19 pandemic brought opportunities for local research to take the spotlight amidst travel restrictions. Some scholars were able to collaborate with others in regions around the world thanks to adaptations with virtual technologies. Hybrid-style conferences and events can continue beyond travel restrictions to foster collaboration. For example, the (IASFM) is proposing a hybrid-model for its conference in 2024. While there is still a long way to go on many issues, we can celebrate and learn from these examples of positive change.

This concludes the LERRN-RRN Webinar Series on Ethics in Forced Migration Research

Click here to read about or watch the recordings from the previous webinars in the series.

This report was prepared by: Kail Schlachter, LERRN Project Writer; Rawan Youssef, LERRN Strategic Communications Project Officer; Rachel McNally, LERRN Knowledge Mobilization and Translation Officer.

The LERRN-RRN Webinar Series on Ethics in Forced Migration Research is coordinated by Rachel McNally, LERRN Knowledge Mobilization and Translation Officer. For further information or ideas please contact us here.

The post LERRN-RRN Webinar | Changing the Structures of Forced Migration Research appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

On March 11, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) and the (RRN) hosted their second webinar of the year, featuring three anthropologists who reflected on their unique personal experiences as international students from post-war Bosnia to the United States. The webinar, titled “Haunted by Violence�, featured Saida Hodžić (Associate Professor of Anthropology and Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Cornell University), Azra Hromadžić (Associate Professor at The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University) and Larisa Kurtović (Associate Professor at the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies, University of Ottawa). All three are anthropologists who left Bosnia in the 1990s to pursue their studies overseas and ultimately pursued academic careers in the US and Canada.

The webinar was moderated by Jennifer Hyndman, Professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and Associate Vice-President Research at York University. 116 participants were registered for this live-only event. The three presenters read excerpts from their work and presented personal reflections about the liberal violence of caring for refugees and how the label “refugee� positions, even displaces, one in a new country like the United States. This personal and intimate discussion was very timely given current developments in Ukraine, and the lives of displaced persons worldwide.

For those interested in further readings related to the webinar, we have compiled a list of resources:

This report was prepared by: Hayley Britton, LERRN Communications/Knowledge Mobilization Officer.

The final webinar in the series, Changing the Structures of Forced Migration Research, will take place on 31 March, 2022

The LERRN-RRN Webinar Series on Ethics in Forced Migration Research is coordinated by Rachel McNally, LERRN Knowledge Mobilization and Translation Officer. For further information or ideas please contact us here.

The post LERRN-RRN Webinar | Haunted by Violence appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.