Using the events in Sweden in the autumn of 2015 as a practical example, this paper examines the question of whether there are circumstances when it is morally permissible for rich, democratic states to close their borders to asylum-seekers. To lay a common ground, the author starts by looking at the right of asylum-seekers, who a refugee is, and what obligations a host country have towards them. Thus, after looking at general human rights, and how they apply to the right to seek asylum, the author turns to the question of who a refugee is, and the difference between refugees according to the 1951 Geneva Convention, and people who are in need of subsidiary protection, before choosing to use UNHCR’s wider definition of a refugee. While acknowledging that refugees have specific rights that other persons in need of protection do not, all asylum-seekers are entitled to not be sent back to a place of danger (which is the principle of non-refoulement). Though both groups are entitled to stay on in the country, the temporary status for those in need of subsidiary protection raises some questions about integration and their standing in society and therefore the question of membership rights is discussed before the author returns to the events in Sweden in 2015 and argues that there are circumstances when it is morally acceptable for a country to close its borders to refugees, but that there are limitations when this can be done and for how long. Finally, it is argued that a system that prevents countries from having to – or choosing to – close their borders to refugees is needed. The author discusses whether the grounds for such a system could be found in the work that UNHCR does, and if the DAC agreement can be used as a model for fair distribution.

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Johannesburg, 2017. / Migrant social networks and their effects have dominated international migration discourse over the past few decades. The importance of social networks and social capital in migration decision-making is underscored by large volumes of research across many disciplines. There are however few comparative analyses of the refugee experience across disparate geographical spaces particularly cities in the so-called global ‘South’. Drawing on original survey data collected from refugees in Pakistan, Turkey and Nairobi in mid-2016, this paper argues that access to social networks and the value of the social capital embedded in these networks, is strongly dependent on the pre-migration social, political, cultural and economic contexts of migrants and refugees. Social networks generate positive social capital in some contexts and negative social capital in others. Logistic regression and correlational tests of association were used to analyse the relationship between social networks, employment, and well-being of refugees in the three cities mentioned. The findings speak of the complex economic and social environments refugees often find themselves, and networks of personal relations either hamper or facilitate the ability of refugees to secure employment. / XL2018

Abstract This research report examines the relationship between legal status and national identity formation. It is based on a qualitative research of former refugees from Mozambique who have lived and settled in the Northern Province of South Africa now called Limpopo province in the border areas with Mozambique for over twenty years. The report compares the narratives of former Mozambican refugees in South Africa who have acquired permanent residence and citizenship with those that are undocumented. The distinction between undocumented and documented former refugees allows me to look at the role of access to services in identity formation, since most government services in South Africa, as elsewhere, are not accessible without legal documentation. Since most services are, however, accessible for both permanent residents and citizens, the distinction between these two statuses allow me to explore whether there is a more symbolic meaning attached to citizenship. Drawing from citizenship theory, variations in the attachment to South Africa or Mozambique that emerged in the research data are analysed in terms of the refugees’ experience of social inclusion or social exclusion norms. The benefits of social inclusion and how it shapes positive attitudes towards attaching to South Africa is discussed.

Somali refugees living in South Africa are the most recent targets of xenophobic attacks in African townships across the country. However, who are these new immigrant entrepreneurs? This report presents material from research on Somalis living and working in small shops in Mayfair, Gauteng. From their various reasons for leaving Somalia, the report explored their experiences of settling into the host country. The study looked at the experiences and challenges they meet while in Johannesburg. The study considered also the reasons why Somali refugees seem to be the primary target of xenophobia in South Africa. The research was based on interviews that were conducted with Somali refugees. The study considered the livelihoods of Somalis living in Mayfair. It explored the issue of clans that divide the Somali community. It also explored how these refugees access their legal documentation, health care and education in the country of asylum. The Somali community seems to be united however due to different clans that are found here in Johannesburg the study showed that they are not homogeneous. Somali refugees experience so many challenges in trying to make a living. They come to South Africa for safety and protection only to find that their lives are in danger just as it is in Somalia. They mostly involve in informal sector and this has made them become primary target of crime especially in poverty stricken areas. Somali refugees work and live in informal settlements where they face a lot of hardships. Moreover, Somali refugees experience a host of challenges because they lack integration in the local community. The study also looked into the Refugee Act that stipulates that safety and basic services should be provided to all including refugees; however, in reality this has not been implemented because Somali refugees face a host of constraints in accessing those services.

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts (Migration and Displacement) by Coursework and Research Report, August 2017 / In Zimbabwe, the past two decades have been characterized by a growing flow of refugees into the country from other parts of the continent such as Burundi, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Somalia. Drawing from the biomedical model, prevailing discourses about mental health posit that after going through traumatic experiences in the wartorn regions of the world, refugees and asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable to developing mental health problems and are, therefore, in need of counselling and psychosocial services. This assumption has guided, and has subsequently been supported by, several studies conducted in the Global North, and there is generally a lack of local literature and research that either confirm or challenge the assumption in Southern Africa. This research was prompted by such a substantial research gap and therefore seeks to examine the perceptions of refugees regarding mental health and access to care. The study identified Tongogara Refugee Camp as the study site and targeted adult individuals aged 18 and above, residing in the camp, as well as officials from the Zimbabwean Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Christian Care, Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), clinic officials as well as faith-based leaders. The access to health care framework (McIntyre, Thiede, & Birch, 2009), was used as the basis and theoretical framework for this research to explore the various factors determining availability, affordability and acceptability. The overall methodology employed was the qualitative approach and the case study research design. Respondents were recruited through the purposive sampling method and semi-structured interviews were used for data gathering. Thematic content analysis yielded participants’ perceptions of mental health and access to care through their descriptions of pre-migration trauma and post-migration stress as the major causes of mental illness, and expressions of mental illness such as sadness, worrying, wandering aimlessly through the camp, talking too much and violence. The study sheds light on the problems of medicalizing distress and human suffering, particularly the limitations of the biomedical model of mental health treatment. Camp residents mainly rely on spirituality and social support for coping with mental health. Several issues, relating to all the dimensions of the concept of access were identified, including language barriers, temporary solution to a permanent problem, lengthy waiting times, as well as ill-treatment at the camp clinic. Recommendations include the key need to be cautious about the importation of Western biomedical approaches, the need to pay more attention to the prevention of mental health problems and the promotion of mental health through action on the social determinants of health, the need for language interpreter services at the camp clinic, the need for improved engagement with refugee families, and the need for resettlement. Such information may help add to the body of available literature on refugee and asylum seekers’ access to health services and to literature that is exploring the development of appropriate responses to mental wellbeing in the Southern African context. / XL2018

Abstract: This study examines the laws and practices relating to immigration detention in South Africa. It provides an in-depth examination of the legislation, with reference to known state practices and cases where migrants have been subjected to prolonged and repeated periods of immigration detention. The study highlights gaps in South African law that contribute to certain categories of migrants being especially vulnerable to immigration detention. Four categories are identified: (1) asylum seekers; (2) persons with difficulty obtaining travel documents; (3) stateless person; and (4) persons subject to other prohibitions against refoulement. The study offers recommendations for legislative reforms to fill the gaps in the law that contribute to these migrants’ vulnerability to immigration detention

A dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree at the African Centre for Migration and Society, Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, February 2017 / In Johannesburg, the Somali migrant community has set up businesses in Mayfair. Mayfair is a suburb situated on the western side of Johannesburg’s original central business district, and has gradually witnessed a process of urban change and transformation outside the regulations of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan. Based on the regulations of the area, 8th Avenue is zoned for residential use. However, at the moment, the area has witnessed radical changes, which have seen people engage in many unplanned activities. Such developments have not gone unnoticed by the City of Johannesburg’s Urban Planning officials, who argue that the area is zoned for residential purposes and laws have to be adhered to before the space is altered from residential to business use. However, the Somali business migrants in the area continue change the residential component of the area, despite the laws against such construction. The research report looks at how Somalis in Mayfair continue to change the 8th Avenue area, despite the City of Johannesburg’s restrictions around the use of space as business. Engaging in this concept of human-non-human interaction, derived from Actor Network Theory (ANT), the research explains how materials and artefacts of the city, in this case, land use regulatory tools, assist in regulating social and spatial conduct, and human activities. In what then follows, the research traces how Somali migrants of Mayfair interact with the City of Johannesburg’s urban management and planning practices through the movement of written materials that challenge urban management and usage. The research also illustrates, using de Certau’s theory on strategies and tactics, how bureaucratic actions (through written documents) divide the city residents as well as city planners to create certain alliances, as well as tactics in the development of Mayfair. The research finally shows, using Lefebvre’s theory of the right to the city, how Somalis migrants take possession of space and use the concept of the right to the city, as urban inhabitants, instead of relying on their right as refugees or asylum seekers. Keywords: Migration, Somalis, Mayfair, City of Johannesburg, Urban space, appropriation, negotiation, written documents / GR2018

Sedan 2015, då antalet asylsökande i Sverige nådde rekordhöjder, har frågan om hur flyktingar ska integrera sig i samhället tagits upp. Konsensus är att arbetsmarknadsetableringen är en viktig faktor och därmed har så kallade ”enkla jobb” föreslagits som en lösning på att öka sysselsättningen för flyktingar. Samtidigt kan det observeras ett nytt fenomen på arbetsmarknaden, gigekonomin. Kan gigekonomins enkla jobb vara lösningen?  Syftet med denna undersökning är att analysera gigekonomins påverkan på flyktingars arbetsmarknadsutfall i form av sysselsättning och inkomst. I studien används paneldataanalys för att isolera effekten av gigekonomiföretagens etablering på flyktingars sysselsättning och inkomster. Undersökningens huvudestimat visar att existensen av gigekonomi i en kommun ökar sysselsättningen för flyktingar med 5,2 procentenheter. Efter utförande av flera känslighetstest kan dock denna effekt inte betraktas som robust. Därmed kan inte undersökningen påvisa att det är just gigekonomin som har orsakat denna effekt. / Since 2015, when the number of asylum seekers in Sweden grew to record breaking heights, the question about how refugees will integrate into society has been raised. The consensus is that the integration into the labour market is an important factor and therefore entry level jobs have been suggested as a solution. Currently a new phenomenon can be observed on the labour market, the gig economy. The objective of this paper is to analyse the effect of the gig economy on refugees’ social outcome in terms of employment and income. The study uses panel data analysis to isolate the effect of the gig economy on refugees employment and income. The main estimate of the study shows that the impact of the existance of a gig economy in i municipality increases the employment for refugees by 5,2 percentage points. However, after the execution of multiple robustness tests the effect cannot be considered robust. Therefore, the study cannot prove that it is specifically the gig economy that is the cause to this effect.

In 2015, the number of unaccompanied children that fled to Sweden and applied for asylum was 35 369, more than ever before. The great majority of them, 22 806, were young male refugees from Afghanistan, often with very small chances of returning back to their countries mainly due to war, oppression and poverty. For any society to become sustainable, integration of new citizens is essential. However, right-wing populist parties and nationalism is growing in Europe, including Sweden. The fundamental socioeconomic and cultural flourishing needed for individuals to get integrated is lacking and thus causing a segregated Sweden. The question is why. Hence, the purpose of this master thesis was to examine what barriers that exist for economic-, social- and cultural integration in Sweden based on the perceptions of young male refugees from Afghanistan. This was studied through ten qualitative semi-structured interviews with young male Afghan refugees between 19 and 25 years’ old in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, in April 2019. The results were analysed through a conceptual framework of economic-, social- and cultural integration. The results revealed that language was perceived to be the main barrier for both economic-, social- and cultural integration, which in turn impacted the other perceived barriers of attaining an employment, lack of governmental support, difficulties in interacting with Swedes and crash of cultures. Experienced discrimination was mentioned throughout all societal spheres. To overcome these barriers, interactions with Swedes was believed to be essential. Factors that showed to enable this were improved language skills, active societal participation and living with host families.

Este estudo tem como objetivo principal rever a categoria Refugiado para poder refletir sobre a Saúde Global como dispositivo da biopolítica moderna. O estudo espera contribuir nessa construção oferecendo uma reflexão crítica a partir da visão agambiana de dispositivo e de uma política que vem. Trata-se de avaliar se a Saúde Global, em seus anseios de governança da saúde planetária, não pode ser tomada bem mais como um dispositivo de captura da vida nua, categoria central no pensamento de Giorgio Agamben. A vida nua é justamente o Refugiado. Daí a importância da análise dessa categoria. Propomos assim uma hipótese funcional de trabalho: perceber a Saúde Global, a partir de sua própria definição, como um campo de tensões e de dissensos necessários para a construção de uma nova política, uma vez que as análises da figura do Refugiado mostraram o colapso do Estado-nação e da categoria de direitos humanos. A construção dessa pesquisa está ancorada sobre três elementos centrais: 1º a ideia de refugiado e de hospitalidade: o ser que se é, é ser localizado territorialmente, ser-no-mundo, onde o mundo de relações estabelecidas permite/favorece/permeia/forma a identidade do sujeito. A desterritorialização é o próprio desterro do sujeito, um desarvorar que clama por novas possibilidades de fincar raízes, as quais só são possíveis através de outros movimentos, ou seja, através do con-solo ou da devolução do solo. Encontramo-nos aqui no limiar da perda de identidade e da necessidade de criar condições de reconquista por meio do abrigar, do refugiar, do acolher, do com-partilhar. Essa dimensão mais originária do ser humano ou da sua condição metafísica essencial, na prática, serviu de fio condutor ou de fundamento para a construção de estatutos jurídicos do Refúgio e da Hospitalidade A crise se instala quando todo este aparato parece perder significado e sentido; 2º as novas formas de dizer-se/olhar-se/compartilhar-se no mundo globalizado. Utilizamos os verbos no reflexivo pela seguinte razão: mais do que dizer algo a alguém as novas tecnologias parecem pautadas na necessidade de transmissão de identidade. Ser-no-mundo é ser-na-linguagem. Os relatos de fuga dos refugiados feitos por eles mesmos com seus smartphones são um dizer sobre si, um dizer sobre a situação, uma denúncia do que está acontecendo; 3º as rupturas abordadas são uma questão de Saúde Global. O elo que une cada um desses elementos é a reflexão crítica do filósofo Giorgio Agamben em sua pesquisa sobre o Homo Sacer. / The main objective of this research is to think over the Refugee category in order to be able to ponder about the Global Health as a modern biopolictical tool. The research aims to contribute in such construction offering a critical reflection from the Agamben\'s view of dispositif and from an incoming politics. It is about evaluating whether the Global Health, in its governance anticipation of the universal health, could be taken much more as a bare life catcher tool, category centered in the Giorgio Agamben philosophy. The bare life is precisely the Refugee. Thus the importance of analyzing this category. Therefore we propose a work functional hypothesis: to perceive the Global Health, starting from its own definition, as a tension field and as necessary dissensions to construct a new politics, since the analysis of the Refugee picture indicated a collapse of the Nation-State and of the Human Rights category. The construction of this research is anchored on three main elements: (1) the idea of refugee and of hospitality: the being that is, the being located territorially, being-in-the-world, in which the network and relationship established allows/favors/permeates/forms the subject\'s identity. The deterritorialization is the subject\'s own banishment, a disenbowelment that calls for new possibilities to establish roots, which are only possible through other movements, which means through the \'con-soil/console\' or the soil\'s return. We find ourselves on the threshold of identity\'s loss and of the need to create conditions of regaining by sheltering, welcoming, sharing. This dimension mostly originated from the human being or from its essential metaphysical condition, in practice, served as a guiding thread or as a foundation for the Refugees and Hospitality law\'s construction. The crisis sets when all this apparatus seems to lose its meaning and reasoning; (2) the new ways of saying/looking/sharing yourself in the globalized world. The reflexive tense was used for the following reason: rather than saying something to someone, new technologies seem to be ruled by the need of identity transmission. Beingin- the-world is being-in-the-language. The escaping reports from the refugees made by themselves with their smartphones are a saying about themselves, a saying about the situation, an accusation about what is happening; (3) and finally, the addressed ruptures are a Global Health matter. The bond which connects each of these elements is the critical reflection of the philosopher Giorgio Agamben in his research about the Homo Sacer.