Summer Short Courses

Summer Short Courses June 5-23, 2011

The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) at the American University in Cairo (AUC) is offering the following three short courses during the month of June 2011:

1. Introduction to Refugee Law (June 5-9, 2011):

Course Description: The course will provide post-graduate students, international agency staff, NGO workers, lawyers and others working with refugees or interested in refugee issues with an introduction to the international legal framework which governs the protection of refugees. Through lectures, case studies and small group sessions, course participants will learn about the basic features of international refugee law including the components of the international refugee protection regime; the elements of the definition(s) of "refugee" contained in international instruments; the ethical and professional obligations of those representing refugees; the basic elements of the process by which refugee status is determined; and, the rights of refugees under international law. A background in law is useful but not required.

About the Instructor: Parastou Hassouri currently teaches International Refugee Law at the American University in Cairo. She has extensive experience in the field of immigrant and refugee rights. Her previous experience includes serving as an Attorney Advisor at the Immigration Courts of New York City and Los Angeles and working as an immigration attorney in private practice in New York City. In addition, she designed and directed the Immigrant Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, where she focused on responding to anti-immigrant backlash in the United States in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11. More recently, she has worked for human rights and refugee rights Non-Governmental Organizations, including a refugee legal aid program in Cairo.

2. Meeting the Psychosocial Needs of Refugees (June 12-16, 2011):

Course Description: In this course, participants (including humanitarian workers, psychosocial workers, social workers and psychologists) will increase their understanding of the psychosocial and mental health issues of refugees and learn how to implement effective interventions. Topics will include the following:

• Review of Inter Agency Standing Committee Guidelines (IASC) for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for Emergency Settings and the implications for interventions;
• Latest research about the psychosocial and mental health consequences of war and violence;
• Skills for assessment of need;
• Culturally and contextually sensitive interviewing skills;
• Methods for working with translators;
• Introduction to individual, family and community interventions;
• Specific mechanisms workers and organizations can use to minimize staff burnout and maximize organizational effectiveness.

About the Instructor: Nancy Baron is the Director of Psychosocial Program at CMRS, the Psychosocial Training Institute of Cairo and Global Psycho-Social Initiatives (GPSI). She received her Doctorate in Education at the University of Massachusetts, U.S.A. with a concentration in Family Therapy and Counseling Psychology. Since 1989, she has provided consultation, assessment, training, program design and development, research and evaluation for UN organizations and international and local NGOs in community and family focused psycho-social, mental health and peace building initiatives for conflict and post-conflict countries. She has lived and worked with emergency affected populations in Africa: Burundi, Egypt, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda; in Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan and Sri Lanka; in Eastern Europe: Kosovo and Albania; in South America: Colombia; and in the South Pacific: Solomon Islands. She is also the International Training Director for the International Trauma Studies Program, New York, USA.

3. Understanding Irregular Migration (June 19-23, 2011)

Course Description: Irregular, “illegal” or “undocumented” migration has become a key concern for states and international agencies. It is associated with violations of border control, criminality, smuggling and human trafficking: those involved are often depicted as dangerous and threatening. Who are the “illegals”? Who facilitates their movements, why and how? What are the implications of irregular migration for governments, agencies and for the wider society?

Irregular migration into Egypt and from Egypt has increased sharply. In particular, migration from Egypt across the Mediterranean has recently increased in pace and scale, bringing a strong reaction in states of the European Union, which wish to strengthen migration control. Who is involved? Why do they undertake long, risky journeys? Who benefits? Should states or international organizations intervene more directly?

This course looks in detail at irregular movements. It uses recent research to shed light on clandestine migration and its outcomes for state authorities, for migrants and for migration agents - sometimes known as “facilitators”. Using examples from across the world, it examines state security and securitisation, surveillance and border regimes, and problems of abuse of migrants common within clandestine networks. It examines intervention by state authorities and international bodies, and initiatives by those who seek to support and to protect irregular movers. It considers the implications of increased irregular movement for immigration strategies and development agendas.
The course will interest those concerned with: migration; refugees and asylum policy; human smuggling and trafficking; national and international security; border control and policing; immigration law; and policies for integration, settlement and resettlement. It will assist academics, students and researchers, and those employed in state agencies, non-governmental institutions, migrant support networks and community organizations.

The course adopts a critical and comparative approach, mobilising research by academics, research groups and government agencies. It draws upon Migration Studies, Refugee Studies, Geography, Development Studies, Law, Criminology and Critical Legal Studies, using examples from across the world with a focus on the Middle East. It uses lectures, seminars, films and workshops to develop knowledge, critical abilities and analytical skills.

About the Instructor: Philip Marfleet, Professor of Migration and Refugee Studies at the University of East London, and a Director of the Centre for Research on Migration, Refugees and Belonging. Philip Marfleet is the author of many publications on migration and refugee issues, including Refugees in a Global Era (Palgrave 2006). He is currently working on a new analysis of migration in the modern world: Migration, Theory and Society will be published by Sage in 2012. He is also co-editor, with Rabab El-Mahdi, of Egypt – the Moment of Change (Zed/ AUC Press 2009).

Eligibility for all courses:

The courses are offered for graduate level students, researchers and practitioners in the field of migration and refugees. The maximum number of participants in each course is between 25-30.

All courses are conducted in English and no translation facilities are provided. Participants should have a sufficient command of the English language.

Application procedure for all courses:

To apply for the courses, please fill out the application available at http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/524/shortcourse.doc and attach your most recent CV and send to [email][email protected]: Att. Ms. Naseem Hashim

Applicants may apply and be accepted to more than one course.

The deadline for submitting course applications is May 5, 2010.
Applicants accepted for the course will be notified by email maximum by May 10.

Venue of the courses
The courses will take place on the Tahrir Campus in Downtown Cairo.

Course fees:
The tuition fee for each course is 500 USD.
Participants are expected to pay a 30% of the total fees ($150) as a deposit by May 15.
More information on payment method will be provided to accepted participants

Tuition fees will cover course material and 2 coffee breaks per course day.
Accommodation and any other expenses are not included. Please see the website for nearby recommended accommodation in Cairo.