Accountability

The lives of refugees and migrants are profoundly shaped by the laws and practices not only of states (usually states of which they are not citizens) but also various non-state actors—including international organisations and non-governmental organizations—that shape the global refugee regime.

In order to be recognised as refugees, individuals must usually register, and undergo some form of bureaucratic processes. If the outcome of these processes is not positive, they often have little means to challenge their rejection. Along their journeys, refugees and other migrants are subjected to various human rights abuses not only by individuals or states, but also by humanitarian non-state actors.

The project aims to understand and problematise the accountability for these human rights violations, and more generally, how those actors that determine refugeehood and migrants’ rights may be held accountable for their actions.