Invited but not (always) willing to go (PDF)

Master's Thesis from the year 2011 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: Development Politics, grade: 1, University of Vienna (International Development Studies), course: Refugee studies, resettlement, language: English, abstract: This thesis centers on resettlement operations in one of the nine Burmese refugee camps situated along the Thai-Burma border in Thailand, and the social dynamics that influence refugees whether to resettle or not.

Thailand is host to Burmese refugees since approximately 20 years, for whom resettlement has become the only durable solution due to the impossibility of return or local integration into Thailand.

This thesis is the outcome of a survey which was conducted by UNHCR in the summer of 2010 in Tham Hin camp; the aim of the study was to better understand motivations of refugees opting against resettlement, whose figure stands at approximately 30% of the camp population.

As it became apparent, many refugees were withdrawing their resettlement applications due to other family members unable to resettle together, which is due to the complex process and preconditions of registrations of refugees in the camps. Hence even though individually eligible to resettle, many refugees chose to stay behind with their unregistered family members.

Migration theories in general have tended to focus very predominantly on economic considerations as to what influences migration decisions; the role that social factors play, be it for migrant workers or refugees, has only become included in migration theories relatively recently, mostly focusing on transnational family networks, influences on the remaining family or issues of local integration. However, as the survey in Tham Hin camp has shown, social bonds in the outgoing community may likewise have significant influence on the decision whether to move or not.

Hence it is my aim to provide the reader not only with insights into the social fabric of a refugee community in Thailand, but also importantly to add the aspect of social bonds in the sending community to the discussions of migration theories. I argue that to these social factors tend to be neglected in debate surrounding what influences migrants` decisions whether to move or not. Although admittedly economic considerations are in many cases determining factors, especially for migrants, Tham Hin stands as a rare empirical example showing us that social bonds and considerations for family and community members can indeed be overriding the desire for economic betterment.