Refuge: Reading Journal #2

   This section of our reading explores the historical context in which our current refugee regime was created. While some aspects of our current approach to the refugee crisis may still be relevant to our current climate, the majority of our policies that have been left unchanged are not relevant to the politics and attitudes of today. Not only has this resulted in general ineffectiveness, but the Eurocentric political response to recent refugee crises have contributed in part to the unfortunate outcomes we see today. 

1. In what ways has the UN's refugee agency standing as a "non-political character" affected the efficiency of the organization? What are the benefits of being a "non-political character", and do they outweigh the detriments?

2. Because our current refugee regime has its roots in Cold War ideals, do we still see a desire to "control and discredit" in our discourse surrounding the refugee crisis today?