Family, Separation and Migration: An Evolution-Involution of the Global Refugee Crisis

Families are actors and drivers in migration and refugee crises. However, the current protection frameworks privilege the individual over the family unit. Consequently, the stories of families in migration have remained under-researched and their challenges under-addressed. This volume explores the interplay between family, separation, and migration
in the Middle East, West Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and in the context of the 2015 global refugee crisis. Guiding it are two questions: How do family, migration, and separation play out across geographical, political, and historical contexts? And what are the gaps in the protection of migrants and their families? Thirteen authors – academics and practitioners – discuss the international protection for refugees, migration governance, child mobility, disability and immigration, human trafficking, and dilemmas in refugee reporting. The book proposes a paradigm shift in the way we cater to the needs and aspirations of families on the move. Its authors offer evidence-based solutions that cut across polarized discussions on migration and refugees. As such, the volume is aimed at researchers, students, policymakers, and experts working in international relations, migration, human rights, and refugee protection.

Oreste Foppiani is Associate Professor of International History and Politics at Webster University Geneva, where he chairs the Department of International Relations and Visiting Scholar at New York University’s Center for European and Mediterranean Studies. Dr. Foppiani is also a member of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law and a senior officer in the Italian Navy Selected Reserve. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

Oana A. Scarlatescu is Visiting Research Fellow at Webster University Geneva, where she researches the nexus between security and development, including human trafficking and smuggling. Ms. Scarlatescu holds an MA in International Relations from Webster University Geneva and a BA in Communications from the University of Bucharest. She previously worked at the Embassy of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania.