Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Social Construction of Refugees

Who is a refugee?

There are multiple ways to categorise people who leave their homes; migrants, economic immigrants, workers, refugees, displaced people. Before the 20th century refugee as a legal category did not exist.

Throughout history countries have always been prone to restricting help to the immigrants of other countries. During WWI many Russians were displaced by Bolsheviks but Europe restricted aid. It was only during WWII with Jewish people fleeting Nazi Germany that the world has opened up to helping displaced people. However, concerned with the fear of having commitments to millions of people worldwide, a refugee was commonly defined as a person displaced from their home by fear of persecution.

Nowadays the definition of a refugee refers to anyone forced to flee their home and cross an international border. Should the definition of refugee change?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1