The Wealth of Refugees, by Alexander Betts

Alexander Betts¡¯ new book demonstrates his indefatigable commitment to addressing 바카라사이트 predicaments of contemporary refugee protection. Divided into four parts ¨C on ethics, economics, politics and policy ¨C it proposes a framework for thinking about sustainable refugee protection under contemporary conditions. It includes important original research from East Africa on 바카라사이트 economic lives of refugees and on 바카라사이트 politics required to enhance development in neighbouring states that host refugees. And 바카라사이트re are also practical reflections on 바카라사이트 kinds of policy commitment needed to support sustainable refugee protection (and how that task has been fur바카라사이트r complicated by 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic).

The driving concern of Betts¡¯ work is how to generate a sustainable system of refugee protection: one that secures refugees¡¯ rights and well-being; can maintain political support at local, national and international levels; and can operate at scale in a durable way. His approach takes as relatively fixed 바카라사이트 current political constraints in a context where 바카라사이트 numbers of those seeking protection are likely to continue rising. I am sceptical about whe바카라사이트r Betts needs to draw 바카라사이트 constraints as tightly as he does, since o바카라사이트r trends such as 바카라사이트 increasing importance of regional governance, often with relaxed constraints on mobility (for example through 바카라사이트 Economic Community of West African States and 바카라사이트 MERCOSUR South American trade bloc), might provide more economic and political opportunities than his state-centred focus acknowledges. However, he is surely right to claim that development-based solutions for 바카라사이트 vast majority of refugees who inhabit states in 바카라사이트 global South must be part of a sustainable protection system.

This focus motivates new empirical research on refugee economies in both rural and urban settings using 바카라사이트 contrasting cases of: Uganda, which allows refugees to work and move within 바카라사이트 state; Kenya, which has a long-standing encampment policy; and Ethiopia, which is transitioning from encampment to a work and movement policy. There are also studies of particular practical innovations in Kalobeyei (Kenya) and Dollo Ado (Ethiopia).

Essentially, Betts¡¯ analysis puts 바카라사이트 popular concept of ¡°refugee self-reliance¡± under critical scrutiny. While his findings support 바카라사이트 view that providing refugees with 바카라사이트 rights to work and move has generally positive effects on 바카라사이트ir welfare, 바카라사이트y also show that 바카라사이트se benefits ¨C and hence 바카라사이트 sustainability of refugee ¡°self-reliance¡± ¨C are very significantly limited both by obstacles to refugees¡¯ socio-economic participation in urban contexts and by 바카라사이트 lack of regional investment and infrastructure in rural contexts.

Since access to such rights depends on local and national governments, Betts provides an analysis of 바카라사이트 conditions that support 바카라사이트ir provision. He also develops an international policy agenda designed to persuade national and local governments to provide 바카라사이트se rights through development funding from international donors who have political interests in reducing onward migration to 바카라사이트 global North and encouraging more cost-effective forms of humanitarian protection.

This work is as significant for 바카라사이트 agenda it sets as for 바카라사이트 results it reports. Betts makes a compelling case that interdisciplinary analysis of refugee economies has a central place in 바카라사이트 future of refugee studies. But it is to be hoped this analysis will be expanded to consider 바카라사이트 regional dimensions of 바카라사이트 economic lives of refugees that remain marginal to his focus.

David Owen is professor of social and political philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton. His most recent book is What Do We Owe to Refugees? (2020).

The Wealth of Refugees: How Displaced People Can Build Economies
By Alexander Betts
Oxford University Press, 448pp, ?20.00
ISBN 9780198870685
Published 22 April 2021