Abdelaaty Featured in Political Violence at a Glance Article on World Refugee Day

June 28, 2022

Political Violence at a Glance

Lamis Abdelaaty

Political Science Department

Campbell Public Affairs Institute

Middle Eastern Studies Program

Human Rights

International Governmental Organizations

Refugees

Political Violence at a Glance

Lamis Abdelaaty

World Refugee Day—celebrated every year on June 20—is a day designated by the United Nations to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Lamis Abdelaaty, associate professor of political science, weighs in on what we should be paying more attention to regarding refugee experiences. While she hopes the solidarity shown in the Ukrainian case will have positive effects on other refugee contexts, she notes that “some refugee groups do not receive much media attention or international assistance, even though their situation may be just as dire.”

“We should certainly push for more humane policies for those arriving in countries of the Global North,” Abdelaaty says, “but let’s not forget that 85 percent of the world’s refugees live in the Global South. Refugees from South Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, and elsewhere are equally worthy of our compassion and assistance.”

Read more in the Political Violence at a Glance article, "Marking World Refugee Day: What Do the Experts Say?"