Democracy in Displacement: A Comparative Study of Liberian Refugees in Ghana

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DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH: DEMOCRACY IN DISPLACEMENT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES IN GHANAMyra Marx Ferree (PI) and Elizabeth Holzer (co-PI)AbstractThis is a study of democracy in bleak circumstances. It asks: How is democracy fostered or made elusive in refugee camps? Refugee camps exist in the shadow of weak international law. Despite its early promise, refugee aid policy had become leached of its initial rights-based mandate by the end of the 20th century. The refugee camps, an amalgam of charity and disciplinary social control, emerged as emblematic of the new order. But political practices persist even in the midst of political exclusion democracy persists in complex ways. Funding is requested for twelve months of fieldwork to compare the experiences of two groups of Liberian refugees in Ghana: camp refugees living in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement and town refugees trying to assimilate in the capital city of Accra.Intellectual MeritThis dissertation unites two research traditions often treated as unrelated, democracy studies and refugee studies, to contribute to three research concerns: (1) Democracy in the midst of political exclusion: How does being excluded from political participation shape democratic practices? (2) Civic engagement in post-conflict settings: How do survivors of violent conflicts re-engage (or not) with government and non-governmental institutions? (3) Implementing international human rights law: What are the consequences for democratic sensibilities when human rights are proclaimed, while political autonomy is curtailed?Broader ImpactsIn 1999, the United States and others sponsored post-conflict elections in Liberia. The elections failed, and war reignited. Evaluating the failed elections, Kamara (1999) cited a general absence of practical knowledge about democracy. Testifying to the wide relevance of these challenges, when USAID launched its first major evaluation of post-conflict elections, it analyzed the merits of different "voter education" programs. In Liberia like elsewhere returning refugees will shape the emerging political landscape. People undergo vast shifts in patterns of social life in refugee camps, learning customs that will serve them well or poorly in other settings. It can be a time of growth or corruption. What refugees learn of civic engagement matters for democratic transitions because democracy needs civic habits to flourish. U.S. policymakers treat democracy aid as a crucial part of post-conflict reconstruction. By exploring the role of refugee aid, this research enhances our understanding of democratization programs rooted in refugee life experiences.