About the seminar:
In this seminar, we will explore the governance of internal displacement, refugees and statelessness in contemporary Lebanon through insights from ongoing research and fieldwork. The first part of the discussion examines the phenomenon of statelessness in Lebanon, analysing how legal, administrative and political structures have contributed to the emergence and persistence of different stateless populations. Drawing on previous research, the presentation will map key categories of statelessness and introduce new conceptualisations of legal exclusion.
The second part will focus on the question of refugee return through findings from a recent research project on the non-return of Syrian refugees from Lebanon. Challenging assumptions that political change alone leads to large-scale return, the discussion will examine how different determinants influence refugees' aspirations and capabilities to return, and how policy and programming often fail to address refugees' actual needs.
Combining perspectives from migration studies, public policy, human rights and international relations, the seminar offers an opportunity to engage with some of the most pressing questions surrounding forced migration, displacement governance and state fragility in the Middle East. The session will conclude with an open discussion and exchange of ideas with participants.
About the speaker:
Elias Dahrouge is a researcher, consultant, and lecturer in international relations and public policy. He specializes in refugees, displaced, and stateless populations in the MENA region, with a particular focus on Lebanon. He serves as the Lead Researcher of the Mobility Rights Unit at the Arab Master in Democracy and Human Rights (ArMA) programme at Saint Joseph University of Beirut’s (USJ) Institute of Political Science (ISP). He holds a PhD from Corvinus University of Budapest, where his dissertation explored the impact of Syrian refugees on the Lebanese state identity construction.
Practical information:
The seminar will be in English. Due to limited space, participants will have to register prior to the seminar.