Policy Press

Refugees, Self-Reliance, Development

A Critical History

By Evan Easton-Calabria

Published

Jun 10, 2022

Page count

240 pages

ISBN

978-1529219098

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 10, 2022

Page count

240 pages

ISBN

978-1529219081

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 10, 2022

Page count

240 pages

ISBN

978-1529219104

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

Jun 10, 2022

Page count

240 pages

ISBN

978-1529219104

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Refugees, Self-Reliance, Development

Evan Easton-Calabria’s critical history of refugee self-reliance assistance brings new dimensions to refugee and international development studies.

The promotion of refugee self-reliance is evident today, yet its history remains largely unexplored, with good practices and longstanding issues often missed. Through archival and contemporary evidence, this book documents a century of little-known efforts to foster refugee self-reliance, including the economic, political, and social motives driving this assistance.

With five case studies from Greece, Tanzania, Pakistan, Uganda, and Egypt, the book tracks refugee self-reliance as a malleable concept used to pursue ulterior interests. It reshapes understandings of refugee self-reliance and delivers important messages for contemporary policy making.

The first chapter is available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

"In this excellent book, Evan Easton-Calabria shows that refugee self-reliance has a century-long and deeply political history. Drawing upon exemplary archival research, she unveils the array of external interests and power relations that have shaped livelihoods programmes for displaced people. This is essential reading for anyone concerned to think critically and constructively about the past, present, and future of refugee policy." Alexander Betts, University of Oxford

“Two things stand out about this book: the clear, jargon-free language, and the historical insights into the widely promoted humanitarian goal of self-reliance with its focus on earning income. Evan brings a critical but fair perspective, and a wealth of experience.” Karen Jacobsen, Tufts University

Evan Easton-Calabria is Senior Researcher at the Feinstein International Center, Tufts University, US, and Research Associate at the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford, UK.

Chapter 1: Introduction: Why Refugee Self-Reliance?

Chapter 2: Self-Sufficiency out of Necessity: Refugee Self-Reliance Assistance in Interwar Greece

Chapter 3: Socialism and Self-Reliance: Refugee Self-Reliance Assistance in Post-Colonial East Africa

Chapter 4: Warriors of Self-Reliance: Refugee Self-Reliance Assistance in Cold War Pakistan

Chapter 5: Dignity in Informality? Urban refugee self-reliance assistance in Kampala, Uganda

Chapter 6: Livelihoods 2.0? Refugee Self-Reliance and the Digital Gig Economy

Chapter 7: Conclusion