Rejecting scapegoats: Politics of Syrian refugees in neighboring countries

• In Event: The Political Effects of Forced Migration on States

Abstract

The Syrian refugees are changing the politics of their host states. Apart from their economic effects, how has the presence of this mass displaced people altered the political debate? The refugees have opened up the fault lines of their host country’s negotiated politics, focusing on government incapacity, resource scarcity, and unequal distribution. While governments blame the refugees for the problems, populaces have begun criticizing their governments in new ways that highlight social and economic inequalities. The presence of the refugees has shifted senses of identity, changed notions of rights, and generated opposition to governments’ current role. This paper examines the domestic changes in demands, opposition, and grievances in Syria’s neighbors, connecting these changes to the presence of the refugees.

Author

• Anne Marie Baylouny, Naval Postgraduate School