Syracuse University assistant professor and researcher of refugee issues Lamis Abdelaaty is available to speak to reporters about the refugee crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces.
Lamis Abdelaaty
An assistant professor of political science at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, Abdelaaty studies issues related to refugees and is the author of “Discrimination and Delegation: Explaining State Responses to Refugees” (Oxford University Press, 2021), which explores why countries open their borders to some refugees while blocking others
“The size and pace of Ukrainian displacement is devastating. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that 1.7 million Ukrainians have fled in less than two weeks. Importantly, these numbers reflect the fact that borders are open and therefore Ukrainians are able to flee,” said Abdelaaty.
“But why are we seeing such a stark contrast with European responses to other groups? Ukrainians are seen as white and Christian, and people sympathize with refugees who they think share their identity,” said Abdelaaty. “It also matters that Ukrainians are fleeing a Russian invasion: welcoming them is another way for European countries to condemn Putin and to powerfully signal which side of the conflict they are on.”
“Finally, people are more accepting of those labeled refugees (rather than migrants), even though most Ukrainians wouldn’t qualify for refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention. As a result, when people talk about the Ukrainian refugee crisis, it is being framed as a crisis for Ukrainians rather than for the countries receiving them. This conflict shows us that the EU, the third-largest economy in the world, is more than capable of receiving large numbers of refugees who are fleeing deadly large-scale violence. We need to bring this empathy to all refugee groups, who are equally worthy of our compassion and assistance.”
To schedule an interview, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, director of media relations at ejmbuqe@syr.edu, or 412-496-0551.
Some recent scholarly publications by Professor Abdelaaty on the issues of refugees around the globe:
