Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement
Spring 2024 | The Fletcher School
Durable solutions to forced displacement is an emergent concept in displacement policy, advocacy, and programming. As a concept, durable solutions recognizes that displaced persons have three pathways to resolve their displacement: voluntary return home, resettlement to a safe third country, or legal, economic, and social integration in their place of displacement. Achieving these solutions requires collective action from displacement stakeholders including local and national displacement duty-bearers (typically states), multilateral institutions, and non-governmental organizations and civil society.
This seminar will provide participating Fletcher students with a working knowledge of durable solutions concepts, frameworks, policies, and practices, as well as key topics in today’s durable solutions discourse. Students who complete the seminar will be able to incorporate a durable solutions perspective in their own work; identify key durable solutions actors, laws, frameworks, and processes; and will be able to articulately discuss durable solutions with colleagues and potential employers.
The seminar will be co-led and organized by the Fletcher Migration Policy Group, a student organization, and the Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security.
Participation: This course will be offered as an in-person seminar for up to 20 student participants. Participating students are expected to attend all three sessions. There will be no homework, assignments, or required reading. Participants will be provided with a short reading list of documents that they are encouraged to skim before each session.
Seminar Dates & Topics:
Friday, April 5
9:30am – 11:30 pm ET
Cabot 206
The origins and evolution of durable solutions concepts and practices
Durable solutions terms and concepts
Critical perspectives on durable solutions
Friday, April 12
9:30am-11:30pm ET
Cabot 206
Durable solutions programming and area-based approaches
Friday, April 19
9:30am-11:00pm ET
Cabot 206
Syria Case Study: Durable Solutions Programming Tools & Tips
Wrap-up
Closing reception to follow
Instructor: This seminar will be organized and led by Danielle Demers. Danielle is a Fletcher PhD (and MALD ’16) who previously worked for the Durable Solutions Platform in Amman, Jordan. She has worked as a researcher on various aspects of the Syria response for more than seven years.
Questions? Please contact to Marcela Millan, Leir Project Manager (marcela.millan@tufts.edu) or Danielle Demers, Instructor (danielle.demers@tufts.edu).