Broken Refugee System To Be Topic of Annual Bhutto-Ispahani Lecture
The 1951 Refugee Convention helped people displaced by World War II find a safe haven.
But today, that same treaty fails to live up to its purpose, according to British academic Alexander Betts.
Betts, the Leopold Muller Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the University of Oxford, will be the speaker for the University of La聽Verne鈥檚 Benazir Bhutto and Ahmed Ispahani International Lectureship on April 18. His talk, 鈥淭ransforming a Broken Refugee System,鈥� will be from noon to 1 p.m. in Campus Center Ballroom A, followed by a book signing in the Presidents Dining Room at 2:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
鈥淚n theory, refugees have a right to seek asylum. In practice, our immigration policies block the path to safety,鈥� Betts said. 鈥淚n theory, refugees have a right to a pathway to integration, or return to the country they鈥檝e come from. But in practice, they get stuck in almost indefinite limbo.鈥�
Betts, who is also the director for his university鈥檚 Refugee Studies Centre and a senior research fellow, focuses on the politics and economics of refugee assistance in his work.
He has written books including 鈥淢obilising the Diaspora: How Refugees Challenge Authoritarianism,鈥� 鈥淕lobal Migration Governance,鈥� and 鈥淧rotection by Persuasion.鈥�
鈥淎lexander Betts鈥� work on refugees is important because it reframes the debate on the global refugee crisis,鈥� said Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Gitty Amini, who is organizing the talk. 鈥淲hile most people would agree that it is an issue of ethical responsibility, Betts reminds us that it is also an economic and development opportunity.鈥�
The lecture series was established by alumnus and Trustee Paul Moseley in 2007 and features renowned speakers with expertise in international issues. It honors the legacy, leadership, and courage of Benazir Bhutto, the 11th聽prime minister of Pakistan, and her cousin, Dr. Ahmed Ispahani, professor of business administration and economics at the University of La聽Verne.
Event Details
- What:聽The Benazir Bhutto and Ahmed Ispahani International Lectureship featuring Alexander Betts, best-selling author, researcher, and director of the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford.
- When:聽Talk 鈥� Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 18 in Campus Center. Book signing 鈥� 2:30 p.m. in the Presidents Dining Room.
- Where:聽University of La聽Verne, Campus Center Ballroom A, 2000 Second St., La聽Verne.
- Information:聽Gitty Amini,聽gamini@laverne.edu聽or 909-448-4735 or Kristin Howland,聽khowland@laverne.edu聽or 909-448-4454
