CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2018
| Author | Schneider, Julian Michael |
|---|---|
| Title | "I Just Want to Start a Life": Theory and Comparative Analysis of Refugee Experiences |
| Summary | In this paper, I examine three discussions in the political theory literature, each of which builds on the former: who is a refugee, what are the obligations of states to refugees, and what is owed to refugees after admission. Although the literature has given substantial attention to the former two, there is a lack of nuanced discussion on the latter. Furthermore, the field has mostly sought to answer these normative questions from a purely theoretical perspective. Since the question of what is owed to refugees after admission relies on the question of what enables newcomers to best join existing societies, empirical field research can be helpful. Accordingly, employing original field research interviewing refugees in Budapest and Malmö, I conduct a comparative analysis of their experiences in terms of why they chose to stay, what they think of life there, and what their future plans are. I find that interpersonal embeddedness in the life of the city, personal connections to locals, and activities that furnish meaning and purpose are critical after resettlement. Putting this in conversation with the theoretical normative literature on what is owed after admission, I identify several problematic areas. By critiquing the prevailing theories, and highlighting Goodin’s neglected theory in the field that argues that the boundaries around people are what matter morally, I provide a pathway forward. From this perspective, I argue that what is owed to refugees is best conceptualized in terms of certain duties of the state and other obligations of the local community. |
| Supervisor | Váradi, Luca |
| Department | Nationalism Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2018/schneider_julian.pdf |
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