UNA Warwick & District: refugees – whose responsibility are they?

Guest Speakers:  
Dallal Stevens – Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Warwick
Sabir Zazai – Director, Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre

Dallal’s current research project relates to: crossing the Mediterranean sea by boat: mapping and documenting migratory journeys and experiences. The project is funded by the Economic & Social Research Council. Her research interests are in asylum and refugee law and policy, migration law, human rights. She has a particular interest in the historical antecedents of asylum-seeking in the UK and the development of law and policy.

She has written on current legal developments as well as on historical aspects of UK asylum and published a book on 'UK Asylum Law and Policy: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives' with Sweet & Maxwell in 2004. Recently, she has been considering the impact of globalisation on asylum and her current research has focused on the protection of refugees and forced migrants in the Middle East. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law.

Dallal has given many interviews, broadcasts and consultations, inter alia: the Guardian, Sky News Radio 5; Radio 5 Edwina Currie Show; BBC Radio 4; BBC Coventry & Warwickshire; Radio Free Europe; Touch FM; CNSNews.com; BBC Midlands Today; Central News; Birmingham Sunday Mercury.

For further details, visit: www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/law/people/stevens

In the wake of the current mass movement of refugees into Europe from Syria, North Africa, Afghanistan and Eritrea, the subject matter of the local UN Association meeting will relate to all aspects of issues arising from resettlement of refugees i.e. the role of local communities and their attitudes toward receiving refugees; the role of local authorities and the legal profession; and issue of defining who is a genuine refugee or an economic migrant. The incidents in Paris and Brussels may further fuel the fear amongst people across European countries about receiving refugees in their communities (fear of terrorism).  

Mr. Sabir Zazai Director of Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre will speak from his experience and address the meeting on the practicalities of resettlement of refugees and migrants in Coventry.

Please do come along, bring friends and contribute to this discussion. Ploughman`s Lunch: £3.50 per head.