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Palestinian Refugees Issues

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Center for Migration and Refugee Studies

About the Course

This course will examine the issue of Palestinian refugees from an interdisciplinary perspective, providing participants an opportunity to engage with the major practical and theoretical issues connected with the topic and to critically assess the historical, political, legal and ideological forces and the conceptual frameworks shaping the debate. The course will begin with a review of the historical events leading to the displacement of Palestinians, followed by an examination of the status of Palestinians in exile, especially in the Middle East/North Africa region. We will study the legal frameworks governing the refugee question, looking at key themes of statelessness, right to return, right to self-determination and repatriation, among others. We will also discuss the failure of the international legal system to address the violations against Palestinians, explore potential solutions and consider the implications of the Palestinian refugee question for other protracted refugee situations.

 

Duration

May 25 - 28, 2025

 

About the Instructor

Parastou Hassouri is an independent researcher and consultant focusing on refugee and migration law and policy. She has previously taught courses in international refugee law and on Palestinian refugees and international law at The American University in Cairo and has extensive experience in the field of international refugee law and immigrant rights and migration policy. Parastou has served as a consultant with different UNHCR operations and with NGOs, focusing on both research and advocacy. She previously worked as a legal advisor and sexual and gender-based violence focal point at the Africa and Middle East Refugee Assistance (AMERA) in Cairo. Her experience in the United States includes serving as an attorney advisor at the Immigration Courts of New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, she directed the Immigrant Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, where she focused on responding to ethnic profiling and other forms of anti-immigrant backlash in the United States in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Parastou also occasionally writes on the topic of refugees and migration policy.