People with lived experience of displacement need to be heard. Their perspectives, strategies and solutions should be at the centre of discussions about policy and practice. The authors in this issue reflect on progress made but also on the road still to travel. They challenge attitudes, highlight injustices and make practical recommendations for change.
What started as an idea for a short feature has rightfully grown into a full feature on issues which are so important in our sector: representation, influence, privilege, access, discrimination and more. It has been an honour to work closely on the theme of ‘Knowledge, voice and power’ with the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) as a key partner and to receive the generous financial support of both LERRN and the International Development Research Centre of the Government of Canada. We are particularly grateful to James Milner, Heather Alexander and Roula El-Rifai for championing this important topic and enabling it to be covered in FMR.
We are also grateful to the group of researchers and practitioners who gave their time to shape the call for articles – their insights were key in developing this issue. We thank our reviewers Pascal Zigashane, Mai Abu Moghli, Jennifer Kandjii and Heather Alexander for their thoughtful consideration of each article submitted. We are grateful to all the authors who share their voices in this issue and to the many authors who submitted excellent pieces that we did not have space to publish.
Our special feature on social cohesion in refugee-hosting contexts has been skilfully brought together by Cory Rodgers and his team, with the financial support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Jesuit Refugee Service.
As ever we would like to thank our core donors. Without them FMR’s work would not be possible and we are very grateful to all those organisations who have given generously this year.
Not all of the articles in this issue are easy to read. Many question the status quo but we hope that they will generate discussion, fresh insights and, most importantly, change policy and practice.
With best wishes,
Alice Philip and Olivia Berthon
Editors, Forced Migration Review