Refugees Are (Not) Welcome Here: The Paradox of Protection in Canada

State-controlled refugee protection in Canada has gone through paradoxical developments in recent decades, with refugee rights expanding but access to these rights tightening. This book examines how refugee claims are administered within a complex and contradictory regime that maintains significant legal and bureaucratic silos, arguing that reliance on the exclusivist mechanisms of the nation-state to ensure the universal application of rights is symptomatic of a larger illogic.

Format: Hardback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2023
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press

In recent decades, Canada has experienced a paradoxical evolution in its state-controlled refugee protection system. While the rights of refugees have expanded, access to these rights has become more restricted. Previously unrecognized groups, such as women experiencing gender-based violence and members of the LGBT community, are now recognized as legitimate refugees. However, the implementation of stringent administrative measures has made it increasingly challenging for refugees to secure protection.

Refugees Are (Not) Welcome Here, a comprehensive book by Azar Masoumi, delves into the complexities and contradictions of refugee claims administration within Canada and globally. Through a combination of archival and media sources, interviews, and organizational data, Masoumi explores why state-controlled refugee protection persists despite its many failures. He argues that the paradoxical interplay between refugee law and claim-processing bureaucracies is a symptom of a larger illogic: the reliance on the exclusivist mechanisms of the nation-state to ensure the universal application of rights.

The book offers a critical analysis of the mechanisms that perpetuate this paradox, highlighting the ways in which they undermine the intended goals of refugee protection. It sheds light on the experiences of refugees who face bureaucratic hurdles, discrimination, and violence, and explores the ways in which these challenges contribute to the unfulfilled promise of refugee protection.

One of the key themes of Refugees Are (Not) Welcome Here is the role of the nation-state in shaping refugee policies and practices. Masoumi argues that the nation-state's desire to control migration and maintain its borders often leads to the exclusion and marginalization of refugees. He highlights the ways in which national security concerns, economic interests, and political ideologies can trump the principles of human rights and humanitarianism.

The book also examines the impact of globalization on refugee protection. Masoumi argues that the increasing interconnectedness of the world has created new challenges for refugee claimants, as they are now subject to the laws and policies of multiple nation-states. He notes that the globalization of refugee flows has led to a proliferation of refugee camps and detention centers, where refugees are subjected to harsh conditions and human rights abuses.

Despite these challenges, Refugees Are (Not) Welcome Here offers a hopeful vision for the future of refugee protection. Masoumi argues that there is a need for a more inclusive and rights-based approach to refugee policy that recognizes the diversity of refugee experiences and addresses the root causes of displacement. He calls for a shift towards a global refugee system that is based on shared responsibility and human rights, and that provides adequate support and protection for refugees regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or gender.

In conclusion, Refugees Are (Not) Welcome Here is a thought-provoking and important book that sheds light on the paradoxical developments in state-controlled refugee protection in Canada and globally. Through a rigorous analysis of the legal, bureaucratic, and social factors that shape refugee claims, Masoumi offers a critical perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing refugees today. The book's call for a more inclusive and rights-based approach to refugee policy is a timely and necessary response to the ongoing crisis of displacement and migration.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780774868716