Sustainable Refugee Migration: A Rethink towards a Positive Capability Approach
- Resource Type
- article
- Authors
- Mohammed Al-Husban; Carl Adams
- Source
- Sustainability, Vol 8, Iss 5, p 451 (2016)
- Subject
- sustainable
migration
refugees
positive capability approach
Environmental effects of industries and plants
TD194-195
Renewable energy sources
TJ807-830
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2071-1050
A major challenge facing many countries around the world is how to sustainably address the issues of increased numbers of refugee migrants. The refugee migrant “issue” is often heavily political as a high density of migrants in local areas impacts communities (e.g., disrupting local employment, service and culture). Different migrants come with different “baggage” and needs which can be a significant draw on the hosting communities’ resources. This paper argues that sustainable long-term solutions to refugee migrants will require a rethink to the existing dominant models of containment and charity. The paper draws upon insights from a study of a large refugee camp in Jordan over a three-and-a-half-year period, and historical cases of refugee migration. The paper presents a sustainable model that develops long-term capability for the various stakeholder groups.