Show Notes for Ep. 24 Interview with Dr. Romit Bhandari, Senior Lecturer, University of East London, on Migration Laws and Policy

by | Dec 26, 2023 | Migration, Politics and Policy, Trends

Mass migration is not a new trend or global topic; but, with so many people moving all over the world at one time for reasons ranging from war to hunger to poverty, now seems like the right time to focus on the fundamentals of the issue.

In this episodes, I had the privilege of speaking with a leading academic on this issue. Dr. Romit Bandari joined me for an enlightening and educational discussion on the definitions and parameters of refugee law, focusing on the concepts of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. He explained the legal architecture of refugee law and the criteria that individuals must meet to be granted refugee status. The United Nation’s 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol is an important document that Romit references several times in this interview so I am including the official link here.

Dr. Bandari also explored the interpretation of persecution and the role of human rights in defining it. He highlighted the challenges faced by refugees in seeking asylum, including non-entree policies and safe third country agreements. The conversation sheds light on the complexities and limitations of the current refugee system.

Key takeaways include:

  • Refugee status is granted to individuals who meet specific criteria under the 1951 Refugee Convention, including a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.
  • The interpretation of persecution as a violation of human rights has both positive and negative implications. While it extends protection to non-state actors and certain minorities, it also diverts attention from the individual refugee and places emphasis on conditions in the country of origin.
  • Non-entree policies and safe third country agreements are used by powerful states to prevent refugees from reaching their shores and shift the responsibility of protection to other countries. These policies often violate the principle of non-penalization for the mode of entry and limit access to asylum.
  • The current refugee system faces challenges in addressing the increasing number of internally displaced persons and the barriers faced by refugees in seeking asylum. These challenges include visa requirements, non-entree policies, and the outsourcing of asylum obligations.

To learn more about Romit and his work:

This interview is just a conversation starter, I invite you to join in and share this episode with your personal and professional network. Listen to the interview, then give me your perspective. You can also find the latest show preview clips on my YouTube Channel. I encourage you to subscribe to the channel, share the clips and leave your comments.

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