Annual Harrell-Bond Lecture 2012: The architecture of refugee protection

Running time: 1:18:42

• Download the lecture (mp3 72MB)

Tens of millions of people in nearly every inhabited corner of the planet face the challenge of life as refugees or internally-displaced people. Countries and organisations throughout the world often recognise that such displaced people (and particularly refugees) have legal rights and merit considerable attention. Nonetheless, the complex structures shaping the laws, organisations, and ideas in this domain – what could be called the 'architecture' of refugee protection – often fails to live up to its promise.

In this talk, Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar disaggregated three dimensions of the 'architecture' of refugee protection. Specifically, the talk focussed on some of the architectural features of the humanitarian relief system, on the allocation of power and territory across nation-states, and on the physical architecture of refugee camps. Each of these domains reveals some of the key architectural features driving our response to refugees and internally displaced persons. By understanding the interacting effects of these different architectures, we can better appreciate how a mix of laws, organisations, and ideas help create the combination of neglect and opportunities for action that will shape the lives of displaced persons and the international system that defines our world.

Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar works at the intersection of law, public policy, and political science. A member of the Stanford Law School faculty since 2001, he has served in the Obama and Clinton Administrations, testified before lawmakers, and has an extensive record of involvement in public service. His research and teaching focus on administrative law, executive power, and how organisations implement regulatory responsibilities involving public health and safety, migration, and international security in a changing world.