...on other continents. If displacement persists and people consolidate themselves in their territories of refuge, complex relations will develop among these different domains of what we may call the "refugee diaspora": that is, among those at home, those in neighbouring territories, and those spread further afield. Each of these domains corresponds to some extent to one of the sites associated with the three "durable solutions" that UNHCR is charged with pursuing for refugees: integration in the country of first asylum, resettlement in a third country, or return to the homeland. Taking its cue from the burgeoning literature on diasporas and transnationalism, this paper explores whether the Motion of "durable solutions" can be squared with the transnational character of refugees. It offers a simple schema for considering diaspora and transnational relations, and suggests that transnationalism might be considered in itself as an "enduring" if not a "durable" solution to displacement.

Resume

Lorsque des gens fuient les conflits ou la persecution, l'un des reflexes les plus courants est de chercher la securite dans d'autres parties de leur pays. Un nombre important de personnes cherchent plutot refuge dans le ou les pays avoisinants et un nombre plus restreint cherche asile dans des pays plus eloignes, voire meme dans d'autres continents. Si le deplacement persiste et que les personnes s'ancrent dans leurs terres d'accueil, des relations complexes se developpent parmi les differents volets de ce que nous pourrions appeler la > : ceux qui sont chez eux, ceux des territoires voisins et ceux dissemines plus loin. Chacun de ces volets correspond jusqu'a un certain point a l'un des lieux associes aux trois > que le Haut Commissaire des Nations Unies pour les refugies (HCNUR) est responsable d'appliquer : l'integration des refugies dans le pays du premier asile, le reetablissement dans un pays tiers ou le retour au pays d'origine. A partir de l'abondante litterature sur les diasporas et le transnationalisme, l'article pose la question a savoir si la notion de > peut etre mise en parallele avec le caractere transnational des refugies. Il offre un schema pour examiner les relations transnationales et de la diaspora, et suggere que le transnationalisme peut etre considere en soi comme une solution de deplacement >, sinon >.

Introduction

When people flee violent conflict or persecution, a common pattern is for most to seek safety in other parts of their country, for a substantial number to look for refuge in a neighbouring country or countries, and for a smaller number to seek asylum in countries further afield, perhaps on other continents. Some of those in neighbouring countries of first asylum may later be resettled further afield, joining those who have gone there directly. As rime goes on, individuals and households, at home and abroad, examine their prospects to see what they can make of their situation, given the resources they can muster. Decisions need to be made about whether to stay put, move on, or go home; whether to keep someone at home to look after the family house, farm, or business; or whether to uproot the family members left at home and reunite the family in the country of refuge. Whichever option is chosen, what began as forced migration may transmute into other forms of movement as individuals and households decide to go or to send members abroad for family reunion, or to earn money, seek education, or search for other forms of betterment. These new or mutated flows may merge with prior migratory streams of labour or trade. If exile persists and people consolidate themselves in their territories of refuge, complex relations will develop among these different domains of what we may call the "refugee diaspora": that is, among those at home, those in neighbouring territories, and those spread further afield.

Each of these domains corresponds to some extent to one of the locations or sites associated with the three "durable solutions" that UNHCR is charged with pursuing for refugees: integration in the country of first asylum, resettlement in a third country, or return to the homeland. (1) Conventionally, these domains have been seen as distinct, or sometimes as stages in a refugee "cycle." Taking its cue from the burgeoning literature on diasporas and transnationalism, (2) this paper will show that this conceptualization...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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