This article appears in the following Refugee Survey Quarterly issue: Displacement, Peace Processes and Post-Conflict Peacebuildiing [View the issue table of contents]
Refugees and the Regional Dynamics of Peacebuilding
* James Milner, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Carleton University, Canada. This article draws on previous research undertaken by the author under the auspices of "The PRS Project: Towards Solutions to Protracted Refugee Situations", University of Oxford, available at: http://www.prsproject.org (last visited 12 Feb. 2009), and the United Nations University (UNU) project "Protracted Refugee Situations: Political, Security and Human Rights Implications". Elements of this article are previously appeared in G. Loescher and J. Milner, Protracted Refugee Situations: Domestic and Security Implications, Adelphi Paper No. 375, London, Routledge, 2005; G. Loescher, J. Milner, E. Newman and G. Troeller, "Protracted refugee situations and the regional dynamics of peacebuilding", Conflict, Security and Development, 7(3), 2007; and G. Loescher and J. Milner, "A framework for responding to protracted refugee situations", in G. Loescher, J. Milner, E. Newman and G. Troeller (eds.), Protracted Refugee Situations: Political, Human Rights and Security Implications, Tokyo, UNU Press, 2008. The author is especially grateful to Gil Loescher for his ongoing support and encouragement.
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Abstract |
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This article examines the relationship between refugees and the regional dynamics of peacebuilding. It argues that recent approaches to peacebuilding have adopted a narrow understanding of conflict. The article outlines the links between protracted refugee situations and regional insecurity to argue that the relationship between peacebuilding and refugees goes beyond repatriation. Instead, the presence of "spoilers" within the refugee-populated areas, the potential for early and forced repatriation, and the politicization of refugees while in exile have all the proven potential to undermine peacebuilding efforts, while the experience of exile may enable refugees to contribute to the peacebuilding process.