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How effective are nations at upholding the rights of refugees? Four student researchers explored this topic over the summer.
Emmanuel College’s summer research program offers students and faculty alike the distinct opportunity to collaborate on scholarly work. This summer, 56 students across 11 disciplines and all five Academic Schools are conducting research with faculty. Through this series, we will highlight student and faculty research going on throughout the summer, which will conclude with a special poster session in the fall.
The United Nations (UN) estimates there are 43 million refugees worldwide, with nearly 40 percent of them children.
“Refugee” is a defined term under international law, with specific rights and protections. The reality, however, is that those rights often fall by the wayside—creating humanitarian crises. That dynamic is being explored by four student researchers alongside Professor of Political Science and International Studies Dr. Lenore Martin.
“The students are looking into the responsibilities of the receiving states to see if they are being met,” said Dr. Martin. “In many cases, we’re seeing that they are not.”
Prompted by the millions displaced in World War II, much of the international community agreed to a legal framework of rights and protections at a 1951 convention, which was hosted by the predecessor of the UN Refugee Agency. It defines a refugee as …”someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”
Adopted by 149 countries, the ‘51 convention included a right to seek asylum and prohibited forced repatriation or refoulment. Refugees also have a right to shelter, work, education, and to not be discriminated against in the host country. The convention was originally limited to Europe in the aftermath of World War II, but those protections were broadened to include persons beyond Europe in a 1967 UN protocol.
Big picture, Dr. Martin said refugees are only one group in a growing immigration crisis, but added that her student research team recognized the plight of refugees as especially compelling. Therefore, each student focused on a specific crisis, first evaluating the conditions that caused people to leave their homeland and then investigating the refugee treatment where they sought asylum.
The students shared their findings and sources at weekly meetings. Through these discussions they were able to ask each other questions and make comparisons as their work proceeded. In almost all cases, they found refugees living with high unemployment, economic hardship, and limited access to medical care and educational opportunities. Many refugees also encounter backlashes among some citizens in the country of refuge, due to increased costs of housing and lower pay in some job offerings.
The students will present their research at the Northeastern Political Science Association meeting in November with Dr. Martin.
Afghanistan
Researcher: Linnea Matlack ’25, International Studies major
The homeland situation: Afghanistan has seen decades of turmoil, including the ‘79 Soviet invasion, a subsequent civil war that brought the Taliban to power, the 2001 United States invasion, and the Taliban returning to power in 2021. Political differences, religious differences, and scarcity of resources are all factors.
Refugee situation: 3.3 million in Iran, 3 million in Pakistan.
Iran is a signatory to the ‘51 convention, but the country is under international sanctions and is struggling to provide for Afghan refugees.
Though Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 convention, it has offered refuge for Afghans at times. More recently, it has begun to forcibly repatriate Afghans.
“There’s really not much the international community can do in terms of the forced deportation, because Pakistan did not consent to the 1951 Convention standards,” said Matlack.
Researcher perspective: Having previously volunteered with refugees in Turkey, it is an issue near to Matlack’s heart. She hopes to continue that work after graduating.
“Right now, it looks a little grim but it strikes a chord with me--I’m ready to do something about it,” said Matlack. “I think there are people who see an opportunity for change and I hope this research will help outline what can be done by the international community.”
Myanmar (formerly Burma)
Researcher: Gretel Demauro ’26, Political Science major
Homeland situation: Myanmar has a Muslim minority that is not considered citizens and is thus stateless. They have been persecuted and forced to leave for decades. Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war that started after a 2021 coup and has exacerbated a tragic situation, increasing the number of refugees leaving the country.
Refugee situation: The UN estimates Myanmar has 1.3 million refugees, most which are in refugee camps near the border in Bangladesh. The refugees face shortages of most essentials, with few alternatives for resettlement.
Researcher perspective: The international community has tried to pressure Myanmar to improve conditions through sanctions. Demauro said that hasn’t helped.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is how awful sanctioning really is for the population,” she said. “Usually it’s discussed in terms of how effective it is in deterring a government, but this research really zeroed in on its impact for the population and refugees…it really boils down to how people are affected.”
Demauro is currently interning with the legal department of the Bio-Pharma company AbbVie and is considering law school after graduation. She’s interested in working on immigration policy.
Sudan: Student researcher: Brooke White ’25, International Studies major
Homeland situation: Sudan is in the midst of a civil war. Situated at intersection of Arab and sub-Saharan Africa, the country has long been wracked by internal conflict. In 2003 the Sudanese government sponsored a scorched earth campaign to depopulate sub-Saharan communities that became known as the Darfur genocide. The current civil war has re-inflamed those tensions.
Refugee situation: The UN estimates Sudan has 10 million internally displaced people, with another 2.1 million refugees, most of whom are in camps across the border in Chad. Though Chad signed the 1951 Convention on Refugees, those seeking asylum in Chad face a number of large shortfalls due to lack of funding.
Sudan recently closed the border to Chad, over which they claim weapons were being smuggled. This complicates fleeing the country and providing humanitarian aid for displaced people still in Sudan.
Researcher perspective: White’s main takeaway was the plight of internally displaced people, who do not have the same rights as refugees. She said they’re effectively stateless under international law, and cannot receive the same type of assistance.
“The main thing in Sudan is there are people who are stuck there,” said White. “Relief organizations can’t get in, they can’t get out, and there’s rampant violence.”
White chose Sudan as her research project because she hopes to work in Africa after graduating.
“I want to do nonprofit humanitarian work,” said White. “I’d like to work directly with people in the community.”
Syria:
Student researcher: Megan Elizabeth Novak ’25, International Studies major
Homeland situation: Syria has the world’s largest forcibly displaced population, at 12 million. This is due to the ongoing Syrian conflict, which started in 2011 with the violent government response to an uprising against the Assad government, which was spurred by Arab uprisings throughout much of the Middle East.
Refugee situation: More than 5.5 million Syrian refugees have taken refuge in neighboring countries, with varying conditions.
Turkey hosts an estimated 3.6 million Syrians, and has been providing shelter, education, health care, and allows many Syrians to work. Some of the Syrians live in camps, others have moved to urban areas, and border towns. Turkey is a signatory of ’51 convention, but still operates under the original boundaries, which were restricted to Europe. That makes most Syrians “guests,” and vulnerable to repatriation.
Lebanon is not a signatory of the ’51 convention. It hosts 1.5 million Syrians, half of whom are not registered with the UN, making them even more vulnerable to repatriation. Instead, refugees are forced to integrate with local communities, under a system that links residency to sponsorship by a citizen or employer.
“It is incredibly exploitive and has been heavily criticized by human rights organizations,” said Novak.
Jordan is host to 673,000 Syrian refugees. While not a signatory to the ’51 convention, they have a memorandum of understanding with the UN for treatment of refugees. Camps are provided for refugees, but residents face high unemployment, economic hardship and lack of health services.
Researcher perspective:
None of the host countries consider Syrians refugees under the ’51 convention. The refugees face funding shortages, security issues, and prospect of forced repatriation. Novak said 78 percent of the refugees are women and children who face particularly grim conditions in Lebanon.
“The refugees are forced to work in informal sectors with poor conditions and low wages, which puts them at greater risk of gender-based violence and exploitation,” she said.
Novak interned with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur office at the UN this summer and wants to continue that sort of work after graduating.
“I’m playing with the idea of studying international law,” she said. “I’m very interested in international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.”
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