Contributor(s): Dr Stephanie Schwartz | The number of refugees worldwide has nearly doubled in the past decade. Amid this rise in forced migration, the humanitarian community touts voluntary repatriation as the preferred solution to displacement crises. States are also pressuring refugees to return. The driving assumption is that refugee return is primarily a logistical obstacle and once refugees return to their home countries, they will resettle peacefully and stay put.

In this talk, Dr Stephanie Schwartz discusses her research on how refugee return can create new sources of conflict in refugees’ countries of origin, often leading to repeat displacement. The talk will explore what these findings mean for international organisations and governments promoting refugee return as a ‘‘durable solution’’ for displacement crises.

Dr Stephanie Schwartz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at LSE.

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