Progressives Pluralists And The Problems Of The State

Refugee policy has not kept pace with new realities in international and humanitarian affairs. Recent policy failures have resulted in instability, terrible hardships and massive loss of life. This book systematically analyzes developments in humanitarian action and refugee policy responses over the last decade of the 20th century and calls for specific reforms to make policy more proactive and comprehensive.

Refugee policy must be more than the administration of misery. Responses should be calculated to help prevent or mitigate future humanitarian catastrophes. More international co-operation is needed in advance of crises. Humanitarian structures within governments, notably the US, as well as the wide variety of international institutions involved in humanitarian action must be re-oriented to cope with these new challenges This book attempts to assemble the refugee policy lessons of the last decade of the 20th century, including the comparative treatment of audacious efforts to deploy military forces for humanitarian purposes and ambitious efforts to build new states in connection with refugee return.