Forced Migration Research Archive
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The Forced Migration Research Archive (FMRA) is an initiative of the Refugee Research Network and supported by the Centre for Refugee Studies and York University Libraries. It was established to promote the Green Open Access option to researchers working in the field of refugee and forced migration studies. Steady increases in the article processing charges (APCs) associated with Gold and Hybrid OA have presented significant challenges to prospective authors who wish to provide open access to their research articles, particularly those who are new to the field and/or who are based in the Global South. The ideal alternative? Depositing postprint versions of journal articles in repositories (the “green route”). Doing so means that authors can continue to publish in their journals of choice without incurring any publication fees. However, not all authors in this subject area have access to repositories at their own institutions, either because the universities with which they are affiliated have not established one or because they are non-academics working with NGOs, IGOs, or independently. FMRA offers a solution: A space where forced migration authors can quickly deposit their journal articles, and subsequently be assured that their scholarship will be easily located by the wider research community as well as preserved over the long-term.
If you are interested in learning more about this project and the process of submission, please visit the FMRA page.
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Item Open Access Effect of Trauma on the Mental Health of Palestinian Children and Mothers in the Gaza Strip(Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2001) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Abed, Yehia; Vostanis, PanosA cross-sectional study was conducted among 285 Palestinian children 9-18 years of age and their mothers in the Gaza Strip. Traumatic events recollected by children living in areas of conflict, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress reactions and the relationship between children's and mothers' mental health were investigated. The Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Impact of Event Scale (IES) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to measure outcome. Children experienced on average four traumatic events; one-third reported significant post-traumatic stress reactions. IES scores were higher among girls and mothers' GHQ scores significantly predicted children's IES scores.Item Open Access Advocating multi-disciplinarity in studying complex emergencies: the limitations of a psychological approach to understanding how young people cope with prolonged conflict in Gaza(Cambridge University Press, 2004-06-23) Lewando Hundt, Gillian; Chatty, Dawn; Thabet, Abdelaziz; Abuateya, HalaThe paper looks at the limitations and strengths of using the A cope questionnaire for measuring strategies for coping with prolonged conflict by Palestinian young people in Gaza. The scale was administered to young people between the ages of 8-17. The results show some gender differences in coping strategies. However, some items on the sub scales are not relevant for Muslim societies or in situations of prolonged conflict. The authors suggest that combining an anthropological contextual perspective and qualitative data with psychological instruments is an effective way of addressing the limitations of using a single quantitative method of assessment in non-western complex social and cultural settings.Item Open Access Attention deficit–hyperactivity symptoms among Palestinian children(Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ), 2010) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Al Ghamdi, H.; Abdulla, T.; Elhelou, Mohamed-Wafaie; Vostanis, Panosعبد العزيز موسى ثابت، حنان الغامدي، تيسير عبد الله، محمد وفائي الحلو، بانوس فوستانيس الخلاصة: يهدف هذا المقال لتوطيد معدلات انتشار وتوزع أعراض اضطراب نقص الانتباه وفرط الفعالية، وما يصاحبه من مشكلات مرضية في الصحة النفسية لدى أطفال المدارس في فلسطين. وقد درس الباحثون، عشوائياً، 349 طفلاً، تتراوح أعمارهم بين 6 و 15 عاماً، ينتمون إلى 23 مدرسة في غزة وفي الصفة الغربية، وأعطيت لهم درجات وصفها آباؤهم ومعلموهم باستخدام قائمة تفقدية لمتلازمة نقص الانتباه وفرط الفعالية لدى الأطفال، والفصل الرابع من الدليل الإحصائي التشخيصي، واستبيان التعرف على نقاط القوة ونقاط الصعوبة، وهو استبيان يقيس أيضاً المشكلات التي تعتري التصرفات والانفعالات. وكان هناك اتفاق يُعتد به إحصائياً بين الآباء والمعلمين، فقد صنِّف 4.3 % من الأطفال فوق مستوى الحرز الفاصل من قِبَل كلٍ من الآباء والمعلمين الذين استخدموا القائمة التفقدية والفصل الرابع من الدليل الإحصائي التشخيصي، وقد لاحظ الباحثون أن الجنس الذكري، وحجم الأسرة، والمعيشة في منطقة تعاني من الحرمان الاقتصادي والاجتماعي، هي عوامل تصاحب بشكل مستقل مع أعراض نقص الانتباه وفرط الفعالية.Item Open Access Resilience and Psychological Problems among Palestinians Victims of Community Violence(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2013-11) Anwar, Abadsa; Thabet, AbdelazizAim: The present study examined the relationship between psychological problems in families' of victims of community violence and resilience in the Gaza Strip. Method: 255 participants were selected; 120 were males (47.1%) and 135 were females (52.9%). Participants were interviewed using a socio-demographic scale and Arabic versions of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and the Resilience Attitude Scale. Results: Participants’ mean psychological symptoms were 121.48. Females reported more somatization, obsessive compulsive, anxiety and phobic anxiety symptoms than males. Hostility was greater in low income families, paranoia was greater in people from moderate income families, psychosis was greater in those from low income families. While mean resilience was 60.84, males had more resilience than females, were more committed, more able to control, and more challenging than females. People living in north Gaza were less resilient and less challenging than people living in Gaza or Khan Younis. Psychological problems, obsessive compulsive, depression, anxiety, phobic anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis were correlated negatively with resilience. Also, total psychological problems, sensitivity, and phobic anxiety were correlated negatively with commitment. Sensitivity, anxiety and phobic anxiety were negatively correlated with control. With total psychological problems, obsessive compulsive, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoia and psychosis were correlated negatively with challenge. Conclusion: Palestinians in the Gaza Strip reported more psychological problems due to long-standing stress and trauma arising from community violence. Resilience was an outcome of experiences of stress and trauma and coping strategies; social support was affected by the presence of psychological problems among Palestinians whereby people with more psychological problems showed less resilience. This study highlights the need for community reconciliation between the factions and increased effort in social reconciliation. More psychoeducational programs may help increase coping and resilience. Also, families affected directly by such community violence should be targeted with their children by programs including psychological intervention, social and community support group, stress management, and parenting training.Item Open Access Trauma, PTSD, anxiety and coping strategies among Palestinian adolescents exposed to war in Gaza(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2014-05) Thabet, Abdelaziz; EL-Buhaisi, Omar; Vostanis, PanosAim: The present study investigated types of traumatic events experienced by Palestinian adolescents exposed to war in Gaza in relation to PTSD, anxiety and coping strategies. Methods: The sample comprised 358 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years; 158 boys (44.1%) and 200 girls (55.9%). Self-administrated questionnaires included Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder according to DSM-IV scale, and the Adolescent-Coping Orientation for Problem experiences Scale. Results: The mean number of traumatic events reported by adolescents was 13.34 with 90.8% witnessing mutilated bodies on TV, 88.5% exposed to heavy artillery shelling, 86.6% seeing evidence of shelling, and 86.0% hearing sonic sounds from jetfighters. The mean total anxiety was 41.18, obsessive compulsive subscale was 8.90, generalized anxiety subscale was 4.46, social phobia was 6.99, separation anxiety was 6.16, physical injury fears was 5.48, and panic/Agoraphobia was 5.4. Girls reported more anxiety problems than boys; 11.8% of all participants reported no PTSD while 24.2% reported fewer than two symptom clusters. Criterion for partial PTSD was met by 34.31% while 29.8% reported symptoms meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for full PTSD. Girls also reported more PTSD symptoms than boys. Participants reported coping by developing social support, investing in close friends, and/or engaging in demanding activities. Those reporting traumatic experiences developed less social support and requested more professional support while participants with PTSD coped by ventilating feelings, developing social support, avoiding problems. Participants with fewer PTSD symptoms tended towards solving their family problems while those with anxiety reported ventilating feelings, developing social support, and engaging in demanding activities. Participants with less anxiety sought more spiritual support.Item Open Access The relationship between mothers’ mental health and the prevalence of depression and anxiety of preschool children after the war on Gaza Strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2014-05) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Abu-Khusah, Ashraf Ahmad; Vostanis, PanosObjective: The present study investigated the prevalence of depression and anxiety among preschool children and relationship to mothers’ mental health. Participants: A sample of 380 preschool children aged 4-6 years with their mothers were selected from 24 kindergartens in the Gaza Strip. Method: Children were assessed by maternal reports for depression and anxiety; their mothers were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire-28. Results: Results showed the mean anxiety score for preschool children was 27.46, generalized anxiety mean was 3.42, social anxiety was 3.94, obsessive compulsive disorder was 4.92, physical injury fear was 10.47, and separation anxiety 4.94. No gender differences in showing anxiety symptoms except for physical injury fear which was greater in girls than boys. Anxiety problems were greater in children with low family income; no significant differences between the means of preschoolers’ anxiety problems according to type of residence or number of siblings. Mean depression was 33.10, mean lack of vitality and worthlessness was 12.98, mean loneliness and anxiety was 9.03, and mean anger and aggression 7.37. There were significant differences in depression for children with low family income although no significant differences according to type of residence. For mothers, mean total GHQ scale was 6.54, somatic symptoms was 1.80; mean anxiety and insomnia was 2.18, mean social dysfunction was 1.26, and severe depression was 1. Using 4/5 cut-off points, cases of mothers according to GHQ-28 were 185 (53.6%) and 160 (46.3%) were not cases. Conclusion: There was a significant positive correlation between mental health problems of mothers and subscales and depression and anxiety and subscales of their children.Item Open Access The UNHCR’s Involvement with IDPs – ‘Protection of that Country’ for the Purposes of Precluding Refugee Status?(2014-10-31) Ní Ghráinne, BrídThe absence of protection from persecution is a precondition to qualifying as a refugee. However, protection is not solely provided by states and may stem from non-state actors (NSAs) such as international organizations. This article will examine whether such protection may be substituted for ‘protection of that country’ and, if so, under what circumstances, and whether it may thus preclude the application of the Refugee Convention. The focus will be on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees owing to its significant role in the protection of Internally Displaced Persons, persons who often go on to make a refugee claim upon fleeing the state. The article will first put forward an interpretation of the term ‘protection of that country’, by examining the refugee definition, in particular the meaning of the terms ‘that country’ and ‘protection’; by analysing relevant principles of EU law; and by outlining how these concepts have been elaborated by relevant jurisprudence on international organizations. The second half of the article will analyse the legal basis and scope of UNHCR’s mandate with IDPs, and will conclude by illustrating the reasons why the activities of UNHCR cannot constitute ‘protection of that country’ for the purposes of precluding the application of the refugee definition.Item Open Access Effect of Trauma Due to War on Dissociative Symptoms and Resilience among Palestinian Adolescents in the Gaza Strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2014-11) Ghannam, Reem Taisir; Thabet, AbdelazizAim: The present study examined the effect of war trauma on occurrence of dissociative symptoms and the role of resilience among Palestinian adolescents in the Gaza Strip. Method: N=400 adolescents (179 boys, 221 girls) were randomly selected from 10 schools in five areas in the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Traumatic Checklist, Dissociative Symptoms Scale for Adolescents, and Resilience Scale for Adolescents were used for assessment and socio-demographic data collected. Result: Regardless of gender, all participants reported an average of nine traumatic events regardless of family income, number of siblings, parent education and work status. The mean score for dissociative symptoms in girls was 75.67 vs. 73.65 in boys. No statistically significant differences in dissociative symptoms according to gender, age, place of residence, parent education and work status. Mean resilience was 112.18, individual resources, e.g. personal skills, social skills, and peer support was 44.06; physical and psychological caregiving by primary caregivers was 27.42, and contextual resources including spiritual, cultural and educational resources mean was 37.42. No statistically significant differences in the total resilience and subscales according to socio-demographic factors of gender, age, type of residence and parents work, whereas, resilience was higher in those with fewer siblings. There was a statistically significant negative relationship between dissociative symptoms and total resilience, individual resources, physical and psychological caregiving, and contextual resources. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between traumatic events and total trauma and total resilience, individual resources, and contextual resources. Clinical implications: Palestinian adolescents have been victims of continuous trauma with increased risk of psychopathology such as dissociative symptoms. Such symptoms negatively impacted upon adolescent resilience when handling adversity. Findings suggest the need for psychosocial interventions that reflect public health and child developmental requirements. Engaging children in interventions that are community-based recreational and cultural activities in war-affected populations have been found useful to heal.Item Open Access Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder among a school-based sample of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2014-11) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Elumour, IkramAim: The present study investigated prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorders among Palestinian children in the south Gaza Strip. Methods: Three hundred and eighty eight participants (194 boys, 194 girls), aged 12 to 15 years (M=13.5 years), were selected from eight governmental and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) preparatory schools. A self-report questionnaire, including sociodemographic scale, was completed. Teachers and parents completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD while parents and their children completed a conduct disorder scale. Results: Parents reported 4.4% of children fulfilled the full criteria of ADHD combined type. According to teachers, 9.8% fulfilled the full criteria of ADHD combined type. ADHD combined type symptoms were higher in boys than girls. Children in governmental schools had more ADHD combined type than in UNRWA schools according to teachers who also rated children living in families with low family monthly income as having more ADHD. Parents reported 15.7% of children had conduct disorder while 17.5% of children self-reported the condition. Boys self-reported had higher levels of conduct disorder than girls, which supported parent ratings. Regarding comorbidity, 6.7% of children rated by parents had inattentive disorder and conduct; 5.2% of children had both conduct and hyperactivity-impulsivity disorder; and, 3.4% had both combined ADHD and conduct disorder. Conclusion: Findings confirmed a strong relationship between ADHD and conduct disorder and provided specific data on the prevalence in Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Such findings highlight the need to establish psychosocial rehabilitation programs in schools and community-based centers so children and their families can learn to overcome the adverse impact of such disorders on psychosocial development and academic achievement. Psychoeducation for parents and teachers should focus on early detection of behavioral problems and of alternatives approaches such as behavior modification to deal with such problems.Item Open Access The Internal Protection Alternative Inquiry and Human Rights Considerations – Irrelevant or Indispensable?(2015-02) Ní Ghráinne, BrídThe Internal Protection Alternative (IPA) stems from the premise that if there is a safe place within a refugee applicant’s country of origin where he or she can relocate, the refugee definition is not engaged. Today, it is an inherent part of refugee status determinations in most states parties of the 1951 Convention, and has been incorporated into Article 8 of the 2011 Recast EC Qualification Directive. The main thrust of the IPA test across various jurisdictions is that it must be reasonable, or put another way, it must not be unduly harsh. The focus of this article, however, will be on the issue upon which states have diverged widely in their jurisprudence - the relevance and applicable standard of human rights considerations in determining the existence of an IPA. First, this article examines the position advocated by UNHCR that protection of basic civil, political, and socio-economic rights is a core requirement of the IPA. Considering that those who return to their country and are forced to relocate to obtain protection are, in effect, internally displaced persons, this article then discusses the relevance of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement to the IPA inquiry. Thirdly, this article analyses the approach put forward by the Michigan Guidelines on the Internal Protection Alternative and approved in New Zealand, and, fourthly, it examines the approach established in the jurisprudence of England and Wales. This article argues that in the context of the IPA inquiry human rights considerations must be taken into account, insofar as protection of human rights forms an ingredient of effective protection from the persecution feared. In addition, human rights conditions in the IPA may be of relevance when considering the possibility of indirect refoulement . Aside from these two instances, expulsion to an IPA where human rights standards are generally low is outside of the scope of the Refugee Convention. Complementary protection, however, may preclude expulsion in this regard and it is by taking such an approach to the IPA inquiry that the distinction between refugee and humanitarian claims may be appropriately maintained.Item Open Access Relationship between Stressors Due to Siege of Gaza Strip on Anxiety, Depression and Coping Strategies among University Students(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2015-05) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Joma’a, AbeerAim: The present study assessed siege related stressors and their impact on the depression, anxiety and coping strategies among university students in the Gaza Strip. Method: It is descriptive analytic study comprised of 399 randomly selected university students from the four main universities in Gaza Strip (Al-Aqsa, Al-Azhar, Al-Quds Open and Islamic University). Five questionnaires were used: sociodemographic questionnaire, the Gaza Stressful Situations Checklist, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Carver Brief Coping Scale. Results: The most frequently reported stressors were: sharply increased prices due to closure (92% of students), studies being affected so much due to cut-off of electricity (83.5%), and shortage of gas. Results showed that mean stressors in men were 12.38 and 10.33 in women. The study showed 9.5% of men and 12% of women had severe depression although no gender differences were found. In addition, 10.3% of men and 13.8% of women had anxiety. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between total stress due to siege and depression symptoms and anxiety. The most frequent coping strategies were finding comfort in religious beliefs (78.2%), thinking about what steps to take (71.4%), and learning to live with the situation (67.7%). A significant negative relationship was found between total score of stress due to siege and total coping strategies. Conclusion: The Gaza siege has had lasting negative effects on Palestinians, which has led to increased mental health problems among and to them using fewer positive coping strategies. Humanitarian organizations should play a more positive role to protect the Palestinian community from the negative consequences of siege. Further research is recommended to evaluate the impact of siege on Palestinian people in all aspects of life and to provide therapeutic interventions for university students with moderate and severe depression.Item Open Access Post-Colonial State and Violence: Rethinking the Middle East and North Africa Outside the Blindfold of Area Studies(Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, 2015-06) Canefe, NergisIn the final analysis, this paper provides an overall assessment of migration before and after the uprisings in the Southern Mediterranean. In particular, it reviews state policies regarding forced migration in the MENA region. Notably, migration (forced displacement as well as voluntary flows) to Europe has not been accelerated by the Arab Spring, apart from a short-lived movement from Tunisia, but has simply continued along previous trends. In sharp contrast, migration within the Southern Mediterranean as a region has been deeply impacted by the events as outflows of migrants and refugees fleeing instability and violence in Libya and Syria. This is a noteworthy phenomenon in terms of understanding and deciphering global migration flows in the Global South and constitutes fertile grounds for comparison between the Middle East and other regions living under the aegis of post colonial/post-imperial states such as South Asia.Item Open Access Gender, Development Induced Displacement, and Resistance: Women Uprooted by River Erosion in West Bengal and Bangladesh(Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, 2016-06) Sen, SreyaApproximately three quarters of the world refugee and IDP population is comprised of women and children. Due to numerous factors, including restricted access to employment, resources and education, inadequate reproductive health care, and exclusion from matters of decision making, women constitute one of the most vulnerable categories among the internally displaced. In South Asia particularly, the power of the state is always weighted largely against women, and women often end up being the worst victims of the phenomenon of displacement. In spite of their victimisation, displaced women are often seen to create and organise movements for seeking justice. Hence, displaced women should never only be viewed as victims, as doing so would be a negation of their experiences and agency. Recurrent river erosion on the banks of south western Bangladesh in areas such as Khulna has resulted, since early 2000, in a massive displacement of the local population due to different development projects, for example, shrimp farming. Simultaneously, the slow but steady erosion of the river Ganges, owing to the construction of the Farakka Barrage in the district of Malda in West Bengal, India, has resulted in the people residing in the area losing their homes. This paper will draw upon archival sources of data – national and state government reports on policy and planning, district human development reports, reports generated by non-governmental organisations (both local and international) working in the river erosion affected areas of Malda and Khulna, the UN Charters on Internal Displacement, news material from national and sub-national dailies, and local newspapers published in Malda and Khulna – to examine the impact of river erosion induced displacement on the lives of women. It will also explore how these women have emerged as forces of resistance to the process of displacement instead of being victimised by it. In what ways do women depend on resettlement policies undertaken by the government and other organisations for their wellbeing? How do they cope, and what are the means by and through which they combat the phenomenon of displacement?Item Open Access Introduction: Syrians are Coming? Reframing the Syrian Refugee Crisis(Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, 2016-12) Canefe, NergisIn response to this ongoing state of crisis that marks the turn of the 21st century, "Refugee Watch" hosts this special issue on the plight of the Syrian people, with particular emphasis on those living as stateless people in neighboring countries across the Middle East. As millions of Syrians continue to be displaced due to the ongoing conflict in their home country, it is essential that a critical account of the global perception and reaction to this en masse refugee crisis is offered by engaged scholarship. The expert articles brought together in this issue discuss various aspects of the Syrian refugee crisis in an attempt to contextualize it in historical and global terms. Local and international human rights researchers, advocates, and organizations pertaining to the handling of Syrian crisis, local and international jurisprudence on the subject pertaining to the tinkering with the refugee law to keep Syrians out or to make them into cheap labor/second class citizens, deaths and disappearances in the Mediterranean sea and their banal perception, and, local, regional and international advocacy efforts and sources for support are among the subject headings covered in the following pages with a distinct emphasis on debates within the Global South. The issue provides a timely analytical intervention on the changing nature of the global refugee and immigration regime in response to the Syrian crisis.Item Open Access Migration as a Necessity: Contextualising the European Response to the Syrian Exodus(Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, 2016-12) Canefe, NergisIn this vein, I trace the regional and global underpinnings of what I call ‘migration as necessity’ that is currently engulfing Europe with reference to the Syrian crisis. My aim is to develop an idiom of collective moral responsibility as a strong alternative to the dominant political discourse of surveillance and security in the area of forced migration. Developed in particular to explain the migration of those who suffer in search of either sheer survival or a way of rebuilding lives, the concept of migration as necessity draws renewed attention to the right to life above and beyond the migration studies framework. This angle allows us to demonstrate the limitations and constraints of the traditional takes on migration relating it either to individual choice or to labor mobility. In particular, existing political debates bracket forced migration as a distinctly temporary phenomenon, and the emphasis is put on its management and when possible, curtailment. Instead, in the following pages I argue that we must re-engage with debates concerning structure and agency to make a case for the recognition of histories of migration, and in particular cases of exodus. Only then could we attend to the social and political meanings and new realities created through mass movements of population.Item Open Access The Relationship between War Trauma and Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Preschool Children in the Gaza strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2017-05) Al Ghalayini, Heba; Thabet, AbdelazizAim: The current study investigated the relationship between war trauma and anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among preschool children in the Gaza Strip. Methods: N=399 mothers and their preschool children who were enrolled in kindergartens in the Gaza Strip. Child ages ranged from 3-6 years with mean age of 4.48 years. Mothers were interviewed using a sociodemographic questionnaire, Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Child PTSD Symptom Scale-parent form, and Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. Results: The most commonly reported traumatic experiences by mothers for their children were: hearing shelling of the area by artillery (95.5%), hearing loud noises from drones (89.2%) and seeing mutilated bodies on TV (81.2%). The mean number of traumas experienced by preschool children was 8.3. PTSD prevalence was 6% with scores higher in children aged five and older. The mean for total anxiety was 49.84, generalized anxiety was 10.7, social anxiety was 8.4; specific phobia was 21.1, and separation anxiety was 9.65. There were significant associations between trauma and PTSD and anxiety as well as a significant association between PTSD and anxiety. Conclusion: Preschool children exposed to war-related incidents are at risk of developing PTSD and anxiety problems, which highlights the need to establish programs for preschool children affected by traumatic events associated with war.Item Open Access The Sociology of Refugee Migration(Annual Review of Sociology, 2018) FitzGerald, David; Arar, RawanTheorization in the sociology of migration and the field of refugee studies has been retarded by a path-dependent division that we argue should be broken down by greater mutual engagement. Excavating the construction of the refugee category reveals how unwarranted assumptions shape contemporary disputes about the scale of refugee crises, appropriate policy responses, and suitable research tools. Empirical studies of how violence interacts with economic and other factors shaping mobility offer lessons for both fields. Adapting existing theories that may not appear immediately applicable, such as household economy approaches, helps explain refugees’ decision-making processes. At a macro level, world systems theory sheds light on the interactive policies around refugees across states of origin, mass hosting, asylum, transit, and resettlement. Finally, focusing on the integration of refugees in the Global South reveals a pattern that poses major challenges to theories of assimilation and citizenship developed in settler states of the Global North.Item Open Access Many Rivers to Cross: The Recognition of LGBTQI Asylum in the UK(2018-06-27) Dustin, MoiraThe Refugee Convention was not written with the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and intersex (LGBTQI) people in mind. This article shows the dilemmas this creates for LGBTQI asylum seekers and their advocates when establishing the case for protection. It uses the United Kingdom (UK) experience as an example and brings the literature on this topic up to date with reference to recent cases with implications for LGBTQI applicants. While there has been a welcome shift to recognize that LGBTQI persecution is a legitimate basis for asylum, contradictions and tensions between United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, European, and UK guidelines and instruments, as well as between UK policy and practice, have resulted in a lack of consistency and fairness in the treatment of LGBTQI asylum seekers. The article identifies three specific areas of concern and goes on to show what happens when they converge, using a case that exemplifies some of the problems – AR (AP), against a decision of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) [2017] CSIH 52. It concludes by suggesting a shift in the focus of questioning, from the identity of the asylum seeker to the persecution in the country of origin, as a possible basis for fairer treatment of LGBTQI asylum claims.Item Open Access Posttraumatic Stress and Growth among War-Exposed Orphans in the Gaza Strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2018-11) Thabet, Abdelaziz; ElRabbaiy, AlaaAim: The present study explored the impact of trauma on war-exposed orphans in the Gaza Strip reporting symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Participants: N=83 children attending the orphanage, El-Amal Institute, in Gaza city were included. Method: Measures were The Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD-RI), Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and a demographic questionnaire. Results: Participants experienced 3 to 28 traumatic events (M=11.19). Those aged 12-14 years reported more traumatic events than younger and older children; 49.4% reported no PTSD symptoms, 32.5% reported partial PTSD, and 18.1% reported full criteria of PTSD. Children in the middle age group (12-14 years) reported higher levels of PTSD than younger and older groups. The PTGI scale found 78.31% reported they had a stronger religious faith with 70.7% stating they learned a great deal about how wonderful people are. Total posttraumatic growth among orphan children mean was 25.27. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between total traumatic events due to war and PTSD, numbness symptoms, and arousal symptoms. While, there was no correlation with PTG nor was there a correlation between PTSD and PTG. Conclusion: Orphaned children reported significant trauma and PTSD symptom levels, which suggests the need for governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify therapeutic programs to improve their daily functioning and productivity in future. Training is needed for caregivers in different institutions to ensure early detection of children with mental health problems and identify best ways to support.Item Open Access Social Support of Palestinian Adults with Disabilities in the Gaza Strip(Arab Journal of Psychiatry, 2018-11) Thabet, Abdelaziz; Vostanis, Panos; Qama, Kamal AbuAim: The present study aimed to determine the social support levels perceived by Palestinian adults with disabilities and to compare the data with socio-demographic variables. Method: N=416 participants (n=263 men, n=53 women); ages ranged from 19-70 years (M= 33.56 years) were selected randomly from the databases of two NGOs for people with disabilities. Instruments: Demographic data were collected via questionnaire for gender, age, class, and place of residence and attitudes and perceptions about social adaptation, life status, social role, self-esteem and self-concept were via the Social Support Scale. Results: The most commonly reported items in the Social Support Scale included feeling the need for security (69.6%), not feeling satisfied about quality of life (39%), understanding the demands of a new life (53.3%), feeling the need for love and social recognition (69.4%), and being aware of personal potential and ability (69.4%). Men with disabilities reported higher self-esteem than women with disabilities. Those who had no income had less social adaptation, less life status, less social role, and less self-concept. Conclusion and clinical implications: The importance of focus for improving the social support, self-esteem, and well-being of disabled Palestinian adults and families. Self-esteem enhancement interventions offered in this context might well have an increased effect when combined with the other services available through independent living. Culturally sensitive interventions need to be developed to further enable people in all strata of the social hierarchy to understand their own worth and bring about changes in their lives and communities. Psychosocial interventions can play a useful role in supporting awareness and the development of accurate and positive appraisals of the self, alongside the process of adjusting to life of disabled people.