Refugee

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is defined as a person, who:

[...] owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it. (1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees)

Analyze the above quote regarding refugees. What categories are linked to the word “refugee”? Based on this definition do you think refugees have a choice in leaving their home country? Additionally, can you think of any category of refugee that is not included in this quote?

Now look at the following definition of a migrant.

An umbrella term, not defined under international law, reflecting the common lay understanding of a person who moves away from his or her place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an international border, temporarily or permanently, and for a variety of reasons.