No Return, No Refuge

Rich and erudite, this book raises basic questions about the role and desirability of repatriation, which is important for policy as well as ethics. Beautifully written and exhaustively referenced. -- Astri Suhrke, senior researcher, Chr. Michelsen Institute Blending analytical rigor with empirical acuity, No Return, No Refuge surveys an impressive range of cases in which the suffering of refugees promotes campaigns for the 'right of return.' Rather than embrace such demands or denounce them as illusory, Adelman and Barkan examine the varying contexts in which these demands arise. They then propose realistic ways of understanding these claims and alternative strategies for dealing with such situations. What is so remarkable about their book is its blend of theoretical sophistication with real-world political savvy. As such, it is of interest and importance to academics and those who contend, in a practical way, with the scandal of protracted refugee situations in the world today. -- Michael R. Marrus, author of The Unwanted: European Refugees in the Twentieth Century Howard Adelman and Elazar Barkan effectively defend a compelling if not disturbing argument. They conduct a comprehensive analysis of the genealogy of repatriation and then examine five case studies to demonstrate the right of return for minority refugees is not supported in international law or practice: that it is more rite then right. They further contend that adherence to this rite is in fact condemning minority refugees to a state of limbo. The authors challenge the international community to support other solutions, such as better funding for local integration and increased opportunities for resettlement. Their stated goal is to draw attention to the well-being of refugees and the rebuilding of their lives, so generations do not continue to languish. The thoroughness of their research deserves to command such attention. A major contribution to refugee studies. -- Susan McGrath, director, Centre for Refugee Studies, York University An extremely valuable historical overview of policies of expulsion and return from 1900 to the recent past lays the groundwork for an analysis of today's most protracted and difficult refugee situations. Adelman and Barkan's work is a must read for policymakers and scholars alike. -- Susan Martin, Georgetown University ...It is a compelling read for government officials of host countries who are responsible for internal migration, UN workers engage in international migration, repatriation and return as well as academics, researchers and students with keen interest on exploring alternative routes of finding lasting solutions to the global forced migration problem. -- Veronica Flynn Journal of Internal Displacement The authors advance important and evidence-based arguments and identify issues that need to be disaggregated, considered and debated by those who care about the minorities who remain in a purgatory of the displaced. -- Paul White International Journal of Refugee Law ... Political science at its best. -- Lavinia Stan, St. Francis Xavier University The European Legacy