MESF is excited to present the final lunchtime seminar for 2017, with a talk by Monash University’s A/Prof Ben MacQueen. A/Prof MacQueen will be discussing the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, with a focus on the way that the international community have managed their response to the issue.

Tuesday 14 November
12:30pm – 2:00pm
Level 2, Building BC
Deakin University Burwood

As this is a catered event, please RSVP by November 8 to mesf@deakin.edu.au
Download the flyer here.

Abstract:

This paper investigates the international community’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis, with a focus on the global responsibility sharing framework. Specifically, it will examine how post-2016 initiatives have mitigated, exacerbated or created impediments to the provision of support for refugees and refugee-receiving states with a focus on the 2016 Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). Developed in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, the CRRF sought to deal directly with the reluctance of non-host states both inside and outside the Middle East to accept resettlement. However, these states continue to off-set their obligations through financial assistance to host states and the UNHCR. In addition, host state governments have used international financial assistance for non-refugee-related activities in closed or semi-closed political systems. To investigate this, this paper seeks to advance ‘cross-issue persuasion’ (Betts, 2009) as the foundation approach to understanding state behaviour, particularly ‘North-South relations’, in the management of mass refugee influx and its impacts on host states and refugee communities.

Bio:

Associate Professor Benjamin MacQueen is Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations, Monash University. His research is focussed on factors affecting political change and continuity in the Middle East. His most recent publications include ‘Questioning Consociationialism: Electoral Law Reform Inertia in Lebanon’ (Middle East Policy 23[3] 2016), ‘Peacebuilding and the “Responsibility to Rebuild?”’ (AJPS 51[2] 2016), ‘Democratization, Elections and the DeFacto State Dilemma: Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government’ (Cooperation and Conflict 50[4] 2015), ‘Refugees and Political Stability in Lebanon’ (Ortadoğu Etŭtlerī 4[1] 2014) and An Introduction to Middle East Politics (London: Sage, 2013).

The above image is used under a Creative Commons licence, and was sourced from Flickr user CGFome MRE.