This seminar analyzes the protections afforded to migrants and refugees under international law, especially the Refugee Convention and the non-refoulement provision of the Convention Against Torture. It also examines the militarization of borders by wealthy nations to restrict migration, and the human cost of these policies. This seminar further places the refugee crisis in the broader context of war, coercive economic measures, and the role of corporate interests.

We also study U.S. policies, including the Trump administration’s efforts to limit refugee admissions and prioritize certain groups over others, as well as the impact of court rulings on deportation to third countries. Special emphasis is given to migration from Haiti to the U.S. and to Europe through the island of Lesvos, Greece, and the associated human rights concerns. And the seminar examines Israel’s displacement of Palestinians in the occupied territories from 1948 to the present and considers the legal right of Palestinians to return to their lands.