Forty years ago, in 1982, the Refugee Studies Centre was founded at the University of Oxford. Its aim was to understand the causes, consequences, and responses to forced migration. Throughout its history, a common theme has been to explore and recognise the agency of refugees, viewing forcibly displaced people as social, economic, and political actors. Through its research, teaching, and outreach it has tried to include the perspectives, lived experiences, and voice of displaced people.
The RSC is therefore delighted that the theme for its 40th Anniversary Conference is Recognising Refugees, held in association with the RefMig project. This theme is intended to generate reflection on the processes and practices through which refugees and displaced people are formally and informally recognised by societies, institutions, and governments. It will explore, for instance, the processes through which they are officially identified; how these processes are shaped by politics, law and other social forces; the extent to which forced migrants recognise themselves as refugees and choose to seek formal recognition; the assumptions and understandings that lead to the misrecognition or non-recognition of refugees at local, national, and international level; and refugee leadership.
https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/events/recognising-refugees-rsc-conference-2023