Refuge and Resistance: Palestinians and the International Refugee System

The United Nations established a global refugee regime after World War II, particularly for Palestinian refugees, who are served by the Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This book explores the history and politics of UNRWA's interactions with Palestinian communities, highlighting how nonelite activism shaped the Palestinian campaign for international recognition. It demonstrates that refugee groups are important actors in global politics, not simply aid recipients.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 18 July 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

In the aftermath of World War II, the United Nations established a comprehensive global refugee regime that played a pivotal role in the lives of displaced individuals worldwide. This regime exerted significant authority over Palestinian refugees, who are served by a specialized United Nations body known as the Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Established shortly after the 1948 war, UNRWA continues to provide quasi-state services such as education and healthcare to Palestinian refugee communities in the Middle East today.

This book is a groundbreaking international history of Palestinian refugee politics. Anne Irfan delves into the history and politics of UNRWAs interactions with Palestinian communities, particularly in the refugee camps where it functioned as a surrogate state. She demonstrates how Palestinian refugees employed internationalist norms to advocate for their political rights while resisting the United Nations' categorization of their plight as solely a humanitarian issue.

Refuge and Resistance emphasizes the role of non-elite activism in shaping the Palestinian campaign for international recognition. It showcases that engagement with global politics was driven not only by the upper echelons of the Palestine Liberation Organization but also by the grassroots activism of refugee communities. The book demonstrates that refugee groups are significant actors in global politics, rather than mere aid recipients.

By re-contextualizing modern Palestinian history through the lens of refugee camps and communities, Refuge and Resistance provides valuable new perspectives for understanding politics beyond the confines of the nation-state. It sheds light on the complex dynamics and struggles of displaced populations, highlighting the importance of their voices and experiences in shaping the world's political landscape.

Weight: 592g
Dimension: 160 x 238 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231202848