Refuge: Transforming a Broken Refugee System Hardcover – 30 Mar. 2017

I heard about this book on Radio4 and became keen to read it. Especially because it is about our current history and its anomalies. We all witnessed the beginning of the migrant/refugee crisis and the total incapacity of an Ununited Europe(more interested in protecting different national interests,than to stay united in front of an imminent danger) to even react to it exposing the flaws within the so called EU or Schengen area, their lack of political acumen and pure ignorance when confronted with a major upheaval following the Arab Spring. It presents a global view of the pattern of mass population movements throughout Africa and Middle East, the causes and its consequences, the European reaction under panic, missing a thorough understanding of it all, desperately needed when looking for a strategy. People smuggling became a unbeatable industry while Europe failed to act or even see the direct connection between this industry and the migrant followed by the refugee crisis. There is a lot of interesting information about the UNHCR, its creation and adjustments since its creation, during the Cold War, up to now. Every MEP should have a copy of this book when trying to manage the very long term consequences of not reacting.We live in a very complicated world, confronted with huge challenges, some of them - a direct consequence of the involvement or lack of it in very difficult conflicts, where there is very little room for hesitation. In my opinion hesitation is caused many times by the corruption and/or ignorance of many states chasing their own personal agendas regardless of the price.But starting from here and then ending up working together at a global level, in order to create the Special Economic Zones with the help of EU, World Bank is a historic change born from a genuine desire to help the refugees and the host countries near the conflict zones .There is a very moving story about a refugee camp in Uganda, the most successful one in Africa due to one reason: the refugees were given economic freedom which changed them from victims to consumers, producers,employees, employers, entrepreneurs, lenders, borrowers etc. They created a refugee market attracting customers from all over Uganda, offering them even goods imported from China/India or the chance for children to play digital games like FIFA World soccer game. The image of this vibrant market in total opposition with any other image of any other refugee camp, to me, is the highlight of this book and its most important lesson.

Sensible, down-to-earth realistic evaluation of this most difficult problem, with the only practical and sustainable solution. Unfortunately none of our politicians seem to have read it.

Unashamedly a scholarly rather than 'populist' analysis of the refugee crisis that has stricken Europe over the past couple of years. Needless to say the complexities from both the geo-political to the human level are mind-boggling but the author does a good job unraveling the varied and complexly interwoven strands of the topic and presenting them in a clear, understandable way. It is a hard-hitting, at times frustrating but always informative read as your own political position whether left or right will at times be challenged, which to my mind is all to the good. Essentially a good read for all, from the eurocrat to the man in the street.

this was a present, so I don't know how it is

Here's hoping the people who make decisions about refugees read this

Thank you! Very nice, indeed.

Given the recent refugee crisis in Europe, the topic of the book has been the focus of much discussion, much of it not very illuminating. I was hoping the authors, Oxford professors in migration studies and development economics, respectively, would confront some of the polemic with hard-headed argumentation and empirical evidence. How should we think about asylum seekers at a time of international terror networks hiding their operatives among civilians; or about cultural friction between restive native populations and a 'wave' of asylum seekers, leading to the flourishing of xenophobic political sentiments?My hopes were dashed; Betts and Collier do not touch on such local and (probably) temporary questions, preferring instead take a step back and look at the broader dysfunctioning of the international refugee system. This is a wise choice, as a root-and-branch reform of the system would prevent similar issues from arising in the future.At least Collier and Betts put the European refugee 'crisis' in perspective. Turkey hosts 3 million Syrian refugees; Lebanon and Jordan more than a million each. About 1.2 million have come to Europe, a continent far wealthier than any of the three neighbouring countries, and also far larger; Lebanon has a native population of only about 5 million. A further 6 million or so Syrians are displaced within their own country.This reflects a broader pattern: refugees mostly live in developing or emerging economies near their home countries. Most refugees in the world live in places such as Pakistan, Iran, or Ethiopia. Many live in camps the size of cities, some having been born in the camp, grown up in the camp, set up their own families in the camp; all the while not allowed to work legally, getting a patchy education (if any), and having little prospect of a meaningful life. Or they may live illegally in cities in their host countries, working illegally, outside all official assistance. So when Germany promises to welcome any refugees reaching the German border, is it a surprise if some decide that the risk of drowning in the Mediterranean is worth taking?Betts and Collier excoriate the flailing and uncoordinated response of the European countries in recent years: the total lack of preparation for a refugee crisis when pulling down borders; the shameless passing of the buck on their fellow members once the refugees started arriving; and the terrible vacillation between welcoming all comers and putting up razor wire. This has created terrible incentives, leading to refugees drowning in the thousands in the Mediterranean. It has also made rebuilding Syria, once we get to it, far more difficult: half of all Syrian university graduates now live in Europe.Even proportionally, the number of refugees has never been as high as today, and there is little chance that the numbers will go down in the coming decades. Betts and Collier argue forcefully that we have a duty to rescue those of our fellow humans who are forced to leave their country because of an urgent threat to their lives. The question is how to do it most effectively? Betts and Collier argue that the crucial idea is to ensure that refugees can lead meaningful and aspirational lives while in exile. They should be allowed to educate themselves and their children; to work; to set up as entrepreneurs. This will be both humane -- ensuring that refugees can live in dignity -- but also practical, as refugees who have been studying and working are better able to help reconstruct their societies upon returning home, or to assimilate to a new home country in case the crisis persists beyond a reasonable timespan.Host countries are often hesitant to offer refugees the right to integrate, even temporarily: a large influx of workers will depress wages, leading to political difficulties. Betts and Collier argue that the international community should thus seek to bring new jobs to countries hosting large numbers of refugees, for example by setting up 'special economic zones', encouraging international investment is such zones, giving preferential tariff treatment to exports from countries hosting large numbers of working refugees, and so on. Such solutions could yield 'win-win' solution in which the refugees and the associated policies can help the host country boost their own economic progress. Furthermore, once the crisis is over, the associated economic activity could also shift towards the returning refugees' host country, helping in post-conflict stabilisation and incubation. The overall burden should be borne according to different countries' relative capacities, with the neighbouring havens taking on more of the responsibility of allowing temporary economic integration on their soil, and the wealthier countries taking a higher share of any financial burden.Betts and Collier call for a root-and-branch reform of our refugee institutions. These institutions should shift their focus from the current, humanitarian, camp-led approach. The new approach should seek to identify and promote win-win solutions, coordinating between governments, international agencies and businesses. The authors argue that the current crisis has made for an opportune time to push for such reform. This is an important and timely book and deserves to be widely read.

Quite good.

An insightful and practical (even provocative) summation regarding refugee issues and migration in general. A must-read for students and practitioners written by strong voices in the field.

This is the same as "Refuge: Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World" from Oxford University Press. Just a different title.

Not completely finished, but this trenchant, articulate book is an eye-opener and will likely be a classic monograph for anyone studying refugees and forced migrations, and the systems that aid — or fail — them. Their proposed vision is one world leaders should take seriously as it could reverse the entire quagmire of failed humanitarian intentions.

This short book makes an impartail analysis of the problem of refugees worldwide, together with a fair and humane approach which aims to benefit those fleeing physical danger, the host countries they flee to, and the rebuilding of the homes they were forced to flee. It makes the necessary distinction bewteen the threatened who have to leave and those, migrants, who wish to go to a place with greater opportunity. A strong case is made for donor countries to help refugees where most of them are: in cities (not camps) in host countries neighboring their own, and not in the developed Western world.

For anybody who is interested in and worried about the refugee and migration problem from the Middle East and Africa and how Europe and the world community mishandles them: a must read. Has some lengths and duplications, but very well written and very good to read (like all books by Paul Collier). Enlightening.