Refugee studies or forced migration studies: Theoretical methodological review and consideration of multidisciplinarity in applied social sciences and humanities

Abstract

This paper aims to present to domestic audience a comprehensive view of multidisciplinary research field known as “refugee studies” or “forced migration studies”, which was formally founded in the early 1980s. I will show that the scientific problem of conceptual distinction between “refugee” and “forced migration” is embedded within the history of this research field, but also in the socio-political context. Academic multidisciplinary field considered in this paper was not formed in a theoretical vacuum, but in conjunction with international and humanitarian refugee protection order. Further, multidisciplinarity is one of the strategies for utilization of scientific insights in creation or change of policy. Refugee studies and forced migration studies had an impact on changes of humanitarian organizations policies, but also the other way around - conceptual apparatus of certain organizations and way of migration governance had an influence on scientific deliberation of refugee and forced migration phenomena. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 177027: Multietnicitet, multikulturalnost, migracije - savremeni procesi]

Keywords

• refugee
• forced migration
• multidisciplinarity
• policy