Understanding the Politics of Refugee Law and Policy Making: Interdisciplinary and Empirical Approaches

Abstract

In this article, we argue that building a stronger empirical understanding of the politics of domestic refugee law and policy making is essential for refugee law scholars to better advocate for protection-orientated reforms. While much of the legal scholarship is aimed at promoting policy change, the best way to achieve this goal has rarely been examined. We identify three key areas of interdisciplinary empirical research that can create a stronger evidence-base for improving domestic policy reform efforts. This includes understanding the institutions and actors involved in policy formulation, measuring the impact of refugee laws and policies in practice, and identifying how to influence public opinion and build support for progressive law and policy change. We showcase existing interdisciplinary research in each of these areas, and highlight topics ripe for further empirical inquiry.