Political influences on refugee status determination in Australia, 1978 to 1983
Claire Higgins (University of Oxford)
Public Seminar Series
Wednesday, 27 November 2013, 5pm to 6.30pm
Seminar Room 1, Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford, 3 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TB
The Australian government established the Determination of Refugee Status Committee (DORS) in 1977, as part of the nation’s obligations under the 1951 Convention and as a means of responding to an increasing number of asylum seekers.
This talk will draw from government archival records, UNHCR archival records and original oral history interviews with former DORS members to examine the Committee’s deliberations over a four and a half year period. The range of evidence provides a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse into the status determination process, enabling us to measure the outcomes for applicants from specific national groups or minorities, and to query the competing political influences on the DORS process.
Refreshments will be provided after the event.
About the speaker
Claire Higgins is a final year doctoral candidate in Economic and Social History at the University of Oxford, researching the development of Australian refugee policy during the 1970s and 1980s. She will hold the Margaret George Award at the National Archives of Australia in 2014, while researching Australia's in-country programme in Chile and El Salvador.
Contact
If you require special access or for any enquiries about this event, please contact:
Email: rsc@qeh.ox.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 281707