Iraqis in exile: Migratory networks as a coping strategy

Abstract

The largest concentration of Iraqi refugees is in Syria. Here they are treated officially as 'guests', having no formal legal status. Facing increasingly difficult circumstances, increasing numbers of refugees attempt to move to third countries. Using research undertaken in Syria and Sweden, this article examines the pressures that lead them to undertake new journeys and the means by which they mobilize kin and religious network

Seeking the views of irregular migrants: Decision-making, drivers and migration journeys

“…facilitative visa arrangements) and proximity to established migration networks (and, in some cases, a related lack of ability to gain visas for lawful entry to destination countries); • diaspora populations with the ability and resources to assist others in their communities around the world to migrate (Doraï, 2011;Koser & Pinkerton, 2002); • an increased ability to self-fund travel, as human development and greater access to resources increases (de Haas, 2010); • enhanced 'real time' communications technology to provide better information for decision-making both of potential irregular immigrants and people smugglers (e.g. blogs, social media, news reporting of events); and • a global asylum system that was established decades ago to address a particular set of circumstances, and may not have evolved sufficiently to reflect significant changes in the environment (e.g.…”

Jockeying for position in the humanitarian field: Iraqi refugees and faith‐based organisations in Damascus

“…More recently, qualitative studies have tended to focus on spirituality and the well-being of refugees from a psychosocial perspective (Fry, 2000;Gozdziak, 2002, Shoeb, Weinstein andHalpern, 2007) or on the extent to which religion can help to shape identity formation (McMichael, 2002;Colic-Peisker, 2005) rather than on the interaction of refugees with religious institutions and networks. Doraï (2011) plays down the salience of religious networks in relation to migratory networks for Iraqi refugees. However, this is predicated on a narrow understanding of religious networks as being traditional religious networks.…”