British extradition policy and the problem of the political offender (1842-1914)

The aim of this study is to examine the nature of the British approach to extradition with particular reference to the definition of political offences and the position of political refugees in extradition law and practice. The attention of policy-makers and public opinion was always mainly focused upon these two issues, and this study will therefore concentrate upon them. In abstract terms, the definition of political offences was found to be generally impossible, although attempts to define them generated much important and interesting discussion. In practice, some guidelines were laid down in individual cases, but they did not amount to a solution of the general question.Before 1870, fears that efficient extradition would necessarily endanger political refugees prevented Britain from establishing a system of extradition treaties, with the result that many common criminals escaped punishment. A shift in opinion took place, and it came to be accepted that efficient extradition and security for political refugees could co-exist, but even after 1870, efficient extradition was still hampered to an extent by statutory safeguards for the position of political refugees. Furthermore, on several occasions, amendments of the law that were desirable in the interests of the efficient administration of the law were abandoned on the grounds that they might endanger political refugees.Foreign states resented British devotion to protecting political refugees, both because it hampered efficient extradition and because they resented British protection of refugees who were considered a threat to the security of foreign regimes. There was considerable pressure from abroad, and from certain sections of opinion within Britain, for her to abandon, or at least modify, her traditional stance vis-a-vis political refugees within extradition law and practice, and more generally, but it remained largely unaltered throughout the period under discussion. Up to 1914, political refugees were better protected by Britain than by any other nation. Thereafter, things began to change, as the peculiar conditions which had made such a policy both desirable and possible gradually altered and eventually disappeared

Welfare Policies and Racial Stereotypes: The Structural Construction of a Model Minority

Whereas the economic mobility observed among Asian Americans is often attributed to their cultural values, this article demonstrates the importance of state aid to the economic mobility of a community of Southeast Asian refugees living in California. Using data from a lengthy ethnographic study of rural Laotian refugees, the content and administration of social welfare programs offered political refugees is contrasted with the social policies extended toward other poor communities. As variations in social policies can constrain or facilitate economic mobility, the concrete impact of welfare state policies on different ethnic communities is a topic in need of further exploration

Refugees, Sexual Violence, and Armed Conflict: The Nuances between Victims and Agents

The examination of forced migration of political refugees from sexual violence in armed conflict offers a unique vantage point for exploring the relationship between structure and agency. While it is significant to acknowledge the lack of autonomy accessible to political refugees, simultaneously, it is problematic to assume that their actions do not qualify as agency. I argue that it is possible on one hand to address the lack of agency related to the imposed structure, while on the other hand, to theorize marginalized actors’ form of agency based on their ability to actively negotiate forced conditions in order to secure their own and their families’ safety. This theoretical shift in re-conceptualizing agency from the perspective of political refugees reveals that despite, international human rights efforts, in practice these policies may deter and marginalize refugees. Inherent gender bias and exclusion in human rights agendas serve to undermine the rights and security of refugees. Incorporating refugees’ experiences negotiating conditions of violence facilitates the ability to critique and transform Western perspectives of human rights, particularly deterrent measures and individual-responsibility policies that require refugees to provide justification of their rights to security

Haitian Immigrants: Political Refugees or Economic Escapees?

The article examines the recent immigration of Haitians to the United States and their claims for political asylum. Pointing to the present political situation in Haiti, the author takes issue with the United States Government\u27s official position that these aliens are merely economic escapees, rather than refugees entitled by international agreement to political asylum. In analyzing the Haitian experience, the author also deals with the problems associated with deportation proceedings and the alien\u27s right to counsel, employment authorization for aliens, and fraudulent marriages. While these latter problems may not be unique to Haitian immigrants, they have become particularly salient in light of the Government\u27s contention that these aliens are economic escapees

Moving Up is a Steep Climb: Parents' Work and Children's Welfare in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Jobs Initiative

Presents an ethnographic study of ten families participating in job access programs in Milwaukee and Seattle. Includes policy implications for workforce development, immigrants, and political refugees