Migration and Refugee Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards related to migration and refugees.

Migrant

An umbrella term, not defined under international law, reflecting the common lay understanding of a person who moves away from his or her place of usual residence, temporarily or permanently, and for a variety of reasons.

Emigrant

Someone who leaves a country or region.

Immigrant

A person who has immigrated—moved to another country, usually for permanent residence.

Refugee

Unable or unwilling to return to own country because of a well-founded fear that they will be persecuted based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Asylum Seeker

An individual who is seeking international protection from war, persecution, and human rights violations.

Internally Displaced Persons

Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized border.

Remittances

Money sent home by migrants to their families.

Brain Drain

Loss of skilled or educated people from their home country.

Cultural compatibility/Tipping Model

The idea that small individual preferences in migration and residential choices can lead to large-scale segregation patterns, even when individuals do not have strong preferences for segregation. – If a neighborhood reaches a certain threshold (the "tipping point") of a particular demographic group, members of the other group may begin moving out, accelerating segregation.

Regular Migration

Movement of persons in keeping both with the laws and regulations governing exit from, entry and return to and stay in States and with States’ international law obligations.

Irregular Migration

Movement of persons that takes place outside the laws, regulations, or international agreements governing the entry into or exit from the State of origin, transit or destination.

Irregular Stay

The presence on the territory of a State, of a non- national who does not fulfil, or no longer fulfils the conditions of entry, stay or residence in the State.

Non-refoulement

Guarantee against return to a country where refugee would face persecution

Voluntary Repatriation

When migrants or refugees choose to return to their country of origin, often with the assistance of international organizations or governments.

Involuntary Repatriation

When migrants or refugees are forced to return to their country of origin, often due to deportation or other forms of coercion.

Residency Rights

Granting refugees the right to live and work in the host country.

Access to Services

Providing refugees with access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and social welfare.

Cultural Adaptation

Encouraging refugees to adapt to the local culture and customs.

Resettlement

The process of transferring migrants or refugees from a country where they have sought asylum to another country that has agreed to accept them.

Repatriation/Return

Returning migrants or refugees to their country of origin or nationality. This can be a voluntary or involuntary process.