| Summary: | This paper reviews current refugee policy and programme issues and proposes directions for future study. Four areas are discussed : causes of and responses to refugee movements; durable solutions; resettlement in the US, and problems of refugee definitions. Each of these sections is followed by a list of project proposals for further investigation. In Part I, "Crisis and First Response", the authors outline causes of refugee movements, early warning structures, mass and temporary asylum, detention, and legal procedures in asylum claims. With regard to refugee camps, the relationship with the host country population is perceived as important for future relations should it be necessary to establish settlement in place. Part II, "Permanent Solutions", argues that since voluntary repatriation is often unfeasible and third country resettlement difficult, the key option is settlement in place with development aid. The question of sanctions for countries that generate refugees, is raised. In Part III, financial assistance and services delivery mechanisms of the US resettlement programme are criticized. The authors also draw attention to several operational issues: slowness of resettlement agencies, the impact of placement on the local population, the separation of cash medical assistance, and personnel training. In Part IV, problems of refugee definitions are analysed. The major problem is that certain groups are completely excluded, such as internally displaced persons. The authors suggest that categories of refugee priorities could be established. The process by which persons come to be perceived as refugees by host populations could be studied, as well as the moment when they cease to be refugees.
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