Refugees: Seeking Protection Amid Crisis and Disaster

Today, over 120 million refugees, internally displaced, and stateless persons seek refuge, the most ever recorded. The contemporary refugee is a liminal figure whose being lays bare the limits of the nation-state, the supranational, and human rights. While transnational laws aim to protect those who flee their home countries, the nation-state remains the primary site of durable refuge. This course contemplates the enduring figure of the refugee and asks, Why must we live in a world of refugees? The topics we explore, the nation-state, colonialism, armed conflict, the global economy, hospitality, and camps, go towards answering that question.