Refugees in the Global North: dynamics, dilemmas, and constructive engagement

The movement of refugees across borders has become a persistent feature of contemporary global society. Despite the protections offered by the 1951 Refugee Convention, which has been ratified by some 146 states, countries in the Global North have adopted a variety of contradictory and incoherent policy responses to refugees and migrants. These responses have been influenced by anti-immigrant public sentiment and growing popular demands to restrict and manage cross-border movements. The dynamics and dilemmas of contemporary refugee movements and policy responses create challenges for advocates and practitioners. Refugee policies have been complicated by the phenomenon of 'mixed migration', where migratory patterns reflect the intersection of economic choices and forced migration. Within this context, we propose that policies of many prosperous countries, which thus far focus almost exclusively on restriction, be guided by considerations of shared responsibility and human dignity.