scholarly journals Planning the Ideal Refugee Camp? A Critical Interrogation of Recent Planning Innovations in Jordan and Germany

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 64-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayham Dalal ◽  
Amer Darweesh ◽  
Philipp Misselwitz ◽  
Anna Steigemann
Keyword(s):  
Professional Community ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Visual Appearance ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Critical Refugee Studies ◽  
Alternative Solutions ◽  
Planning Approaches ◽  
The Ideal

With the increase of refugee movements since 2014 in Europe and the Near East, the debate of how to plan appropriate shelters and emergency accommodation has gained a new momentum. Established techno-managerial approaches have been criticised as inappropriate and the professional community of planners and architects was increasingly drawn into debates for alternative solutions. This article traces the “innovations” that promise better, more effective, and more humane emergency shelters using the examples of the “Tempohomes” in Berlin as well as the Jordanian refugee camps of Zaatari and Azraq. In both cases, planners were employed to address the ambivalent reality of protracted refugee camps and include “lessons” from failures of earlier solutions. While the article acknowledges the genuine attempt of planners to engage with the more complex needs and expectations of refugees, a careful look at the results of the planning for better camps reveals ambivalent outcomes. As camps acquire a new visual appearance, closer to housing, which mixes shelter design with social spaces and services as essential parts of the camp; these “innovations” bear the danger of paternalistic planning and aestheticisation, camouflaging control under what seems to be well-intended and sensitive planning. The article focuses on refugees’ agency expressed in critical camp studies to interrogate the planning results. While recent critical refugee studies have demanded recognition of refugees as urban actors which should be included in the co-production of the spatial reality of refugee accommodations, new planning approaches tend to result in a shrinking of spaces of self-determination and self-provisioning of refugees.

The Refugee Camp as Site of Multiple Encounters and Realizations

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-233
Author(s):  
Ayham Dalal
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Human Geography ◽  
Entry Point ◽  
Material Composition ◽  
Refugee Camps

AbstractLiterature in Human Geography has given much attention to “encounters” and their impact on negotiating difference in everyday life. These studies, however, have focused solely on cities, while “other” spaces like refugee camps have received little attention to date. In this paper, I highlight the significance of “encounters” in camps by exposing three main types: the “refugee-refugee,” the “refugee-humanitarian,” and the “refugee-more-than-human” encounters. Using empirical examples from Zaatari camp in Jordan, I show that the “refugee-refugee” encounters cannot be fully understood without taking refugees’ culture, background, and urban identities into consideration. I also explain how the “refugee-humanitarian” encounters result in new types of behaviors and might harden the boundaries between both groups. And lastly, I demonstrate how the “refugee-more-than-human” encounters can inform us about refugees’ unique experiences with shelters, space, and materiality. Building on the examples given for each type, this article suggests that “encounters” have the ability to generate knowledge and learnings, which contributes to shaping the space of the camp by either enforcing boundaries between different groups and/or by allowing new and hybrid spatialities to emerge. This not only confirms that “encounters” are an important entry point in understanding the socio-spatial and material composition of refugee camps, but also that further studies in this regard are direly needed. It also suggests that architects and planners need to allow for the “new” to emerge as a result of these encounters and, therefore, to enable flexibility and adaptability within camps’ design and planning.

Sensory Perceptual Experience in Balata Refugee Camp

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-44
Author(s):  
Shahd Adnan M. Qzeih ◽  
Rafooneh Mokhtarshahi Sani
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
West Bank ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Mental Image ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
The West ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Palestinian Territories ◽  
The World

Wars and conflicts have caused millions of people to seek asylum outside their homelands and the issue of refugee camps has become a pressing subject in international policy discussions. Conflicts continue to escalate in different parts of the world, especially in Middle Eastern countries. In 1948, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict forced displacement of many Palestinian people. The resulting camps have developed into cluster camp shelters of three to four stories in the West Bank, Gaza, and other regions around historical Palestine; some are perceived to be like gated communities. Being self-sufficient environments, refugee camps have rarely been approached from the perspective of urban psychology. This research deals with sensory perceptual analysis of Balata, the largest refugee camp in the West Bank of Palestinian Territories. Balata is situated in Nablus and has raised four generations of refugees since its establishment. In order to explore the spatial characteristics of such specific environmental experiences, the research adopted a mixed-method approach – systematically evaluating the related literature on sensory perceptual spaces and applying content analysis methods. The study modified the sensory slider tool of Malnar and Vodvarka according to the framework matrix based on the content analysis. Moreover, the case study analysis consisted of observation of the chosen area and 30 in-depth interviews with refugees who were forced out of their homes and settled in the camp as well as some who were born in the camp. The research results show that investigating what camp residents perceive of the five senses can capture meaningful sensory perceptual experiences and can generate a holistic mental image of the refugee camp. Particularly, perceptions of the built environment reflect the difficulty of life experiences. The study concludes that the characteristics of camps in this seventy-year-old conflict environment may not be found in other parts of the world.

Norovirus outbreaks in german refugee camps in 2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (10) ◽  
pp. 997-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Grote ◽  
Benjamin Schleenvoigt ◽  
Christine Happle ◽  
Christian Dopfer ◽  
Martin Wetzke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
First Case ◽  
Hygiene Measures ◽  
Norovirus Gastroenteritis ◽  
Specific Implementation

Abstract Purpose Refugees often live in confined housing conditions with shared kitchen and sanitary facilities, rendering susceptible to communicable diseases. We here describe the outbreak, spread and self-limiting nature of a norovirus outbreak in a German refugee camp in the winter of 2015. Methods During a norovirus outbreak, data on clinical symptoms, nationality and living conditions was obtained in a refugee camp in northern Germany in the winter of 2015. Furthermore secondary data on norovirus outbreaks in 2015 was assessed. Results Amongst n = 982 refugees, n = 36 patients (3.7 %) presented with acute norovirus gastroenteritis. The vast majority of cases were children, only the first patient was admitted to the hospital. Intensified hygiene measures were implemented on day 2 of the outbreak, but new cases peaked on day 21 and occurred until one month after the first case. Different cultural backgrounds, eating habits and hygiene standards amongst the refugees made it particularly challenging to implement stringent isolation and hygiene measures. Despite these predisposing factors, only minor norovirus outbreaks were reported in refugee camps in 2015. Conclusion Adults refugees had a low attack rate of symptomatic norovirus infection, while small children are at high risk. Infection spreads despite hygiene measures and camp sites and staff should be prepared for the particular challenges of such situations with a particular focus on cultural-background specific implementation of hygiene measures.

Logistics system for drinking water distribution in post disaster humanitarian relief, Al-Za’atari camp

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazem Smadi ◽  
Nader Al Theeb ◽  
Haneen Bawa’neh
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose It is essential to provide drinking water to affected population directly after a disaster. The purpose of this paper is to develop an optimization methodology that helps in the distribution of drinking water in post-disaster situations. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted on two phases: phase 1 aims at identifying an appropriate way to deliver drinking water to refugee camps from external sources, considering required drinking water quantities and four possible sources of water with respect to cost and risk assessments. Phase 2 investigates drinking water distribution within a refugee camp using covering models. The MCLP–optimal number of facilities model is proposed to ensure that the water is distributed and delivered to all individuals in a camp with minimum number of water storage tanks required. A control policy is proposed to ensure the fair distribution of water to all targeted individuals. Findings Al-Za’atari refugee camp, located in northeast of Jordan, was considered as the case study for this research. The result showed that the appropriate way to deliver water to the camp is by using tanker–trucks, and a minimum number of five tanks are required to distribute water to individuals inside the camp with respect to tank locations and the allocation of tank of each area. Originality/value The proposed methodology is essential in decision making for the distribution of drinking water in refugee camps in short-term needs. The model adds important value to the literature as the proposed problem has no solution in the literature before.

“It Is Easy Enough to Establish Camps”

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A. C. Remes
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
French Canadians ◽  
And Control

This chapter examines the geographies of community and resistance in Salem following the fire. The Salem fire created immediate and pressing problems for residents: where to sleep and what to eat. The next morning, the militia began to establish two large refugee camps that soon sparked tensions between disaster relief authorities and refugees. Both groups of actors had conflicting motivations that they had to balance as they made decisions. At the root of their decisions and contestations were questions of power, authority, and control. This chapter describes the conflicts between relief authorities, particularly the militia, and French Canadians living in one Salem refugee camp. It considers how conflicts about domestic and formal labor played out spatially in fights over the arrangement of the camp and the refugees' presence there.

scholarly journals Gardening in Displacement: The Benefits of Cultivating in Crisis

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliet Millican ◽  
Carrie Perkins ◽  
Andrew Adam-Bradford
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Trauma Recovery ◽  
Northern Iraq

AbstractWhile the benefits of gardening to mental health and trauma recovery are well documented, and a number of voluntary organizations have been involved in developing gardens with refugees, as yet there is no clear mandate to allow and mainstream gardening in large-scale refugee camps. This article argues for the importance of this in the planning of camps on the basis that many crises are indeed protracted, that refugees often stay in camps for tens of years rather than months and that gardening has significant environmental, psychological and social benefits, as well as contributing to food sovereignty and sustainable drainage. Drawing on interviews with residents of a refugee camp in northern Iraq, all participants in a camp-based garden competition in 2016 and 2017, this article illustrates the benefits of gardening and argues for their sustained inclusion in camp design.

SAYYIDA ZAYNAB IN THE STATE OF EXCEPTION: SHIʿI SAINTHOOD AS “QUALIFIED LIFE” IN CONTEMPORARY SYRIA

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith Szanto
Keyword(s):  
Refugee Camp ◽  
The State ◽  
Concentration Camp ◽  
State Of Exception ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Ritual Practice ◽  
Giorgio Agamben ◽  
Nazi Concentration Camp ◽  
Homo Sacer ◽  
The Law

AbstractAccording to Giorgio Agamben, a “state of exception” is established by the sovereign's decision to suspend the law, and the archetypical state of exception is the Nazi concentration camp. At the same time, Agamben notes that boundaries have become blurred since then, such that even spaces like refugee camps can be thought of as states of exception because they are both inside and outside the law. This article draws on the notion of the state of exception in order to examine the Syrian refugee campcumshrine town of Sayyida Zaynab as well as to analyze questions of religious authority, ritual practice, and pious devotion to Sayyida Zaynab. Though Sayyida Zaynab and many of her Twelver Shiʿi devotees resemble Agamben's figure ofhomo sacer, who marked the origin of the state of exception, they also defy Agamben's theory that humans necessarily become animal-like, leading nothing more than “bare lives” (orzoē) in states of exception.

scholarly journals Palestinian Refugee Identity: Marginalization And Resistance In Refugee Camps In Lebanon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Sabarini
Keyword(s):  
Collective Identity ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Palestinian Refugees ◽  
Theoretical Literature ◽  
Palestinian Refugee ◽  
A Site

Through a review of theoretical literature on the topics of space, power, and identity as well as literature on the Palestinian refugee situation in Lebanon, this research paper uses a critical approach to space in order to examine how Palestinian identity is formed within the specific context of refugee camps in Lebanon. The refugee camp has been used by the Lebanese state as a disciplinary tool to contain identities, but it has also served as a site for the displaced Palestinians to construct meaningful lives and create new places and identities. This paper will specifically examine the way in which a marginalized collective identity as well as an identity of resistance has been formed and renegotiated using culture, memory, and militancy by displaced Palestinian refugees living within the boundaries of camps in Lebanon.

scholarly journals Refleksje nad zastosowaniem korczakowskich metod partycypacyjnej pracy z dziećmi w obozach dla uchodźców

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-80
Author(s):  
Urszula Markowska-Manista ◽  
Dominika Zakrzewska-Olędzka
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Protection System ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
International Protection ◽  
Place And Space ◽  
Closed Systems ◽  
Participation In Decision Making ◽  
Contextual Adaptation

The aim of the article is to outline the specifics of places and spaces – refugee camps and centers, where children constitute the majority. Through reference to activities implemented there and oriented towards children, we discuss their problematic character connected with e.g. the absence of participatory, rights-based approach (art. 12 CRC) that serves children’s emancipation and equality. In the second part of the article, we propose the implementation of Janusz Korczak’s methods – solutions for participatory work with children (“underprivileged” groups), which seem both timeless and universal. An ethical and contextual adaptation or inspiration based on Korczak’s methods in work designed for backgrounds connected with children remaining in closed and semi-closed systems, provides a chance for children’s basic participation in decision-making in matters that concern their lives. At the same time, it is an opportunity to learn children’s opinions and an expression of respect for the child as a per-son who functions here and now, in the place and space of his or her temporary stay – a refugee camp, where an international protection system for children and adults is far from effective.

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