Working Paper 30

By Zahra Moshref Javadi, Research Associate at The Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS), York University

Jennifer Hyndman, Professor at the Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) and in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University 

Executive Summary

 This paper seeks to address how states use ‘vulnerability’ to select a small percentage of refugees from the millions worldwide for resettlement programs. Across asylum and resettlement contexts, vulnerability functions as a mechanism for categorization and prioritization. In asylum systems, it helps identify individuals requiring procedural accommodation or enhanced protection, whereas in resettlement, it assumes a more consequential role: distinguishing among millions of recognized refugees competing for a limited number of resettlement spaces. However, the very concept that underpins this prioritization, “vulnerability”, remains fluid, contested, and deeply shaped by institutional discretion. While vulnerability is invoked to justify procedural accommodation and enhanced protection, its changing definition and application significantly influence who ultimately gains access to one of the rarest durable solutions.

This study examines how vulnerability is defined and operationalized within UNHCR and Canada’s refugee resettlement system, and the extent to which these definitions reflect evolving policy priorities and discretionary decision-making.

Drawing on legal frameworks, policy instruments, and secondary literature, vulnerability is framed not merely as a humanitarian descriptor but as a governing tool embedded within selection processes. The aim is to clarify how vulnerability functions as both a selection criterion and a site of political interpretation in both UNHCR and Canadian resettlement practices.

The paper argues that vulnerability operates at the intersection of protection and selectivity. While it enables targeted assistance for those facing acute risk, its ambiguity and discretionary application risk producing ‘hierarchies of deservingness’ (Reynolds and Hyndman, 2026). Ensuring fairness and coherence in refugee resettlement requires greater transparency and conceptual clarity in how vulnerability is defined, interpreted, and operationalized.

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LERRN Working Paper No. 30: Analyzing Vulnerability in Canadian Refugee Resettlement

View the full LERRN Working Papers Series here:

DOI

10.22215/glrnw/2605001

Citation: Javadi, Z. M., Hyndman, J. (2026). Analyzing Vulnerability in Canadian Refugee Resettlement. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN). https://doi.org/10.22215/glrnw/2605001

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The Gunn Prize celebrates excellence in historical research on immigration to and settlement in Canada. Jointly offered by the , the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN), and the Department of History at �Ӱ�ԭ�� University, this annual award recognizes outstanding academic work by fourth-year undergraduate or graduate-level students across Canada.

�Ӱ�ԭ�� the Prize

Named in honour of Al Gunn, a founding member and former Secretary of CIHS, the Gunn Prize awards $1,000 to the best historical essay exploring the evolution of Canadian immigration policy or the historical experiences of immigrant communities, places, or events in Canada.

The prize is interdisciplinary, welcoming submissions from students in history, political science, sociology, global studies, communication studies, and other related fields in the social sciences and humanities.

Submission Requirements

• Deadline: June 30 annually
• Language: English or French.
• Length: Maximum 20 pages in length, excluding bibliography.
  • Longer submissions will not be considered.
• ��ǰ�������:��1.5 line spacing, one-inch margins in a standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman.
• Citation: Chicago, APA or MLA style.
• File types: Word and PDF
• Submit to: prixgunnprize@carleton.ca

Additional Requirements:

• Include a cover page with name, contact information (name should not appear on subsequent pages), the course, degree program, and institution for which the paper was written, as well as the current program status of the author.
• Chapter excerpts from thesis projects will be accepted. In such cases, a short 250-word abstract should accompany the submission to explain the larger project.
• All essays should be carefully edited for spelling, grammar, and accuracy of content.
• Note: By submitting their paper, the author consents to it being made public on the CIHS website and the LERRN and Department of History websites at �Ӱ�ԭ�� University, should their work be selected for the award. The author also consents to revising their piece, for inclusion as a 1,000 word essay in the Canadian Immigration Historical Society Bulletin.

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We’re pleased to share a new op-ed by Megan Bradly and  published in , which emphasizes the growing need to focus international attention on internal displacement, which often remains underrepresented in global humanitarian discourse.

Despite rising numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) driven by conflict, climate change, and natural disasters, the issue continues to receive limited and inconsistent policy attention. As global media and political focus tends to center on refugees, and humanitarian resources are stretched thin—particularly in the wake of severe funding cuts by the current U.S. administration—millions of IDPs risk being further marginalized.

The authors call for renewed and sustained commitment from international actors, governments, and civil society to prevent internal displacement from “falling back into the shadows.” Their piece emphasizes the need to prioritize IDPs on global agendas and promote inclusive, durable solutions that uphold the rights and dignity of displaced populations. Central to this is empowering displaced individuals to actively participate in decisions and shape localized responses that shape their futures.

Read the full article here:

The post New Op-Ed: Falling Back into the Shadows? How to Keep Internal Displacement on the Humanitarian Agenda appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

By ,  Cyrine Saab, Maha Shuayb

We are thrilled to share a new research study report published by our partner Center for Lebanese Studies (CLS).

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the knowledge production landscape in the field of refugee education, critically exploring how it continues to be shaped by colonial legacies and dominated by global north (GN) perspectives. Analysing the
English language and Arabic language academic literature on refugee education, the study investigates the power dynamics, economic interests, and ideological influences that sustain the divide between the global north and global south (GS) in this body of research. The findings reveal that the field of refugee education, despite its growth and diversification over the past two decades, remains profoundly unequal in terms of authorship, geographic focus, and the overall epistemological and ontological frameworks that underpin it.

Read the full report .

The post Decolonising Knowledge Production in the Field of Refugee Education appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

We are proud to announce the publication of a new article in Ethnic and Racial Studies:

By Sarah Nandi, Oroub El_Abed, Megan Bradley, and Hamzah Qardan

Published: March 21, 2025 in Ethnic and Racial Studies

This timely and insightful research explores how refugees in Jordan, particularly Somali, Sudanese, Syrian, and Iraqi communities, navigate resettlement – both in pursuit and in refusal – through an intersectional lens. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork, this study reveals how gender, race, nationality, and power dynamics shape both aspirations and resistance to resettlement. The article challenges dominant narratives that frame resettlement as a universally desired solution and calls for an intersectional approach to understanding refugee agency, particularly in Global South contexts.

Key highlights:

• Unpacks how “resettlement-mindedness” and “deservedness” manifests through vocational and language training efforts in pursuit of self-reliance objectives .
• Challenges the assumption that resettlement is a universally desired solution.
• Offers a nuanced understanding of refugee agency in the Global South.

We invite scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and community members to engage with this important work.

Read the full article

The post New Article: Being “resettlement-minded”: Intersectional Dimensions of Refugee Resettlement Strategies and Refusals in Jordan appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

We are excited to announce the release of a new publication titled: by Rachel McNally, Pascal Zigashane, Abdikadir Abikar, Arte Dagane, Mark Oyat Okello, and Ochan Leomoi, published in

This study delves into the complex dynamics of waiting for resettlement faced by refugees in Kenyan refugee camps, specifically focusing on the strategies individuals and communities develop as they navigate uncertain futures. By examining the psychological, social, and economic dimensions of waiting, the publication sheds light on the resilience and adaptability of refugees in the face of prolonged displacement and uncertainty of resettlement.

Abstract

This research was co-produced with equal participation of researchers with lived experiences of displacement, currently residing in Kakuma and Dadaab, Kenya. This work is essential for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners working in refugee studies, migration, and humanitarian aid.

We hope this research sparks meaningful conversations and contributes to advancing our understanding of displacement, waiting for resettlement, and resilience in refugee communities.

Related Publications

Policy Brief: Waiting for Resettlement Increasing Transparency in the Resettlement Process in Kenya

The post New Publication: “The ‘Not Yet’ and ‘Never’ Resettled: Individual and Communal Waiting Strategies Among Refugees in Kenyan Camps” appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

Working Paper 27

Sarah Nandi, Department of Political Science, McGill University

Oroub El Abed, International Migration and Refugee Studies, Birzeit University

Megan Bradley, Department of Political Science, McGill University

Hamzah Qardan, USAID, Jordan

Executive Summary

The three durable solutions, namely resettlement to a third country, local integration, and voluntary repatriation, aim to resolve refugeehood. However, these traditional pathways are no longer feasible for the majority of refugees. How different refugees access or think about solutions for their situation, including their perceptions and pursuit of the traditional and alternative pathways, are shaped by intersecting factors such as gender, race, nationality, and class. In order to better understand how different displaced communities navigate this “meantime” period of liminality, this study draws upon interviews with refugees and humanitarian staff in Amman, Jordan to examine the paths that refugees make for themselves even under enormous risk and constraints. To do so, we propose the concept of “para-solutions”, which can be understood as the parallel pathways that refugees create for themselves to access some of the benefits associated with residency rights or limited forms of establishing a life outside of Jordan. Para-solutions include both the tangible practices that refugees use in solutions-making in the present as well as the future hope attached to the different strategies. We examine para-solutions through two sub-categories: para-residency and para-mobility. Para-residency includes solutions that are localized in the Jordanian setting, deal mainly in the temporal present, and include practices such as pursuing education, vocational training, and volunteering opportunities.

Para-mobility is often focused on the future by including a hopefulness for what may become possible outside of Jordan and operates through higher education scholarships, short-term labour contracts in other countries or online, or travel through family relationships and marriage. Together, these para-solutions offer a more complete and intersectional representation of what “solutions” look like from the perspectives of refugees and show how the traditional pathways are always situated within a much broader solutions spectrum that challenges preconceived notions of belonging while also speaking to the critical role of hope.

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In The Meantime: Gender, Race, Nationality, and “Para- Solutions” for Refugees in Amman, Jordan

PRINT-In The Meantime: Gender, Race, Nationality, and “Para- Solutions” for Refugees in Amman, Jordan

Summary: In The Meantime: Gender, Race, Nationality, and “Para- Solutions” for Refugees in Amman, Jordan

View the full LERRN Working Paper Series here:

DOI

Citation

Nandi, S., El Abed, O., Bradley, M., Qardan, H. (2024). In The Meantime: Gender, Race, Nationality, and “Para- Solutions” for Refugees in Amman, Jordan. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN). 

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On March 25, 2024, Professor Laura Madokoro from �Ӱ�ԭ�� moderated the roundtable “Migration Research in the Age of Messy Politics.” Three professors from different universities shared their thoughts in the discussion. Sarah Zell from the University of Winnipeg is a feminist political geographer who researches the housing experiences of newcomers, the implications of temporary immigration status, and the ways in which labour recruiters perform state-like functions and bordering processes outside of Canada. Shauna Labman from Global College at the University of Winnipeg researches the interplay between the legal obligations of asylum and discretionary admissions, especially refugee resettlement. Megan Bradley from McGill University researches the global governance of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other forced migrants.

The panelists expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to engage in this interdisciplinary conversation, especially when the current volume of scholarly work related to forced migration makes it difficult to sustain conversations across disciplines.

The panelists first reflected on what the phrase “messy politics” means. Although “messy” does not necessarily equal “bad,” the phrase “messy politics” does acknowledge the complex and rapidly changing responses to migration.

She acknowledged that each of the major humanitarian movements to Canada in recent years has involved messy components: the challenge of achieving ambitious government promises in the Syrian initiative, the definition of family for Yazidi family reunification, the difficulty of getting people out of Afghanistan, and the temporary status for Ukrainians. Although migration has always been political, it is currently highly politicized in Canada, with migration coming up in election campaigns and debates between politicians at all levels. Part of Sarah Zell’s work involves showing how managed migration that is labelled as “legal, safe, and orderly” is quite messy on the ground. For example, the work of admission may be happening in a rural village in Mexico, where temporary labour migrants are recruited, long before a person arrives at the official Canadian border.

Megan Bradley emphasized that political scientists see politics and power everywhere. For her, much of the current “messiness” relates to shifting power, which can unsettle long-standing patterns of exclusion. For example, in the early years of refugee studies, there was little reflection on the predominance of privileged Western academics among authors in journals in the field. Now, the messy work is ongoing to diversify journal authorship. Another challenge with messy politics today is the strong social demand for moral clarity, with the desire to put people on one side or another of each debate. However, in reality, political issues are messy and complex. It is unrealistic to reduce migration issues and other political issues to black and white debates.

The panelists also reflected on the ethical and practical challenges of engaging in policy debates as migration scholars. Although scholars often hope to provide evidence to guide policy in directions that are less exclusionary for migrants, in practice policy decisions often ignore research. Shauna Labman spoke about the difficulty of condensing her work into a 5-minute presentation for a politician or parliamentary committee. She often writes op-eds to make her work more accessible to readers beyond the academic community. Sarah Zell considered how the research process itself can be transformative, especially as a settler researcher engaging with the local Indigenous community.

Finally, audience members resonated with the calls to engage across disciplines, consider the end users of research, acknowledge the complexity of immigration, and recognize the opportunities and dangers of “crisis” language and “crisis” moments.

Written by Rachel McNally, LERRN Project Editor-in-Chief

The post Event Report: Migration Research in the Age of Messy Politics Roundtable appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

The Migrant Vulnerabilities in the Canadian Protection System Workshop held at the University of Ottawa on Wednesday March 15, 2023, sought to bring together practitioners, community partners, and civil servants to discuss the various research findings of this project. In the morning session, 23 participants, consisting of both practitioners and the research team met to converse about vulnerabilities experienced by migrants with on-the-ground practitioners, in addition to recommendations that if implemented, would be helpful in addressing migrant vulnerabilities both in Canada and in cases of overseas resettlement. This session was followed by an afternoon session, consisting of 36 participants, comprised of the research team, on-the-ground practitioners, and civil servants from the federal government, which included members of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) and those working for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). There was also one member joining us from abroad, providing a necessary perspective on how vulnerability is understood and applied in overseas resettlement cases. Both sessions included a discussion about common themes that emerged throughout our discussions: these included what a trauma-informed approach for vulnerable migrants looks like, concerns with delays and communication with federal agencies, concerns around access to justice, the problems with employer-specific work permits and recommendations to provide more open-work permits for vulnerable workers, and lastly, a discussion around creating a regularization program to better address migrant vulnerabilities.

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Megan Bradley, Lead of LERRN’s Solutions Working Group, has published Colonial continuities and colonial unknowing in international migration management: the International Organization for Migration reconsidered in the Journal of Ethnic and Migrations Studies (JEMS). The full article is available online from JEMS:

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