The quest for socio-economic integration, for both forcibly displaced people and host communities, raises fundamental questions for all those involved in forced migration policy, practice and research about how displaced people can live with autonomy and dignity.
The authors in FMR 71 share new perspectives on socio-economic integration that we hope can lead to a concrete and transformative shift in approaches. They reimagine the role of integration in responses to displacement, at a significant time of global change marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent climate-related pressures and ongoing digital transformation. Most importantly, this issue includes displaced people’s voices and strategies in working towards solutions.
We have been privileged to collaborate on the theme of socio-economic integration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a key partner and to receive their generous financial support. Particular thanks go to David Khoudour, Global Human Mobility Adviser, for his input on and support for this issue. We would like to thank our core donors, who make FMR’s work possible. We are immensely grateful for their generous donations over the past year.
We would like to thank all our reviewers who generously offered their time to us: Samuel Agblorti, Natasha Treunen, Oroub El-Abed, Eyoual Tamrat and Mohammed Abdella, and from UNDP, Cate Osborn, David Khoudour, Dominik Kneer, Henny Ngu, Johannes Tarvainen, Lana Stade, Monika Peruffo, Oxana Maciuca and Sebastian Boll. Their considered reflections on each article submitted helped to shape the issue you read today. As well as writing an article for this issue, Alex Betts, Director of the Refugee Studies Centre, gave invaluable input on the call for articles and has provided key support to FMR this year.
Each article represents a huge investment on behalf of the authors and organisations represented. We acknowledge this work and thank those who are published in FMR 71, and those who we were unable to publish on this occasion, for their commitment to sharing their insights and learning with others working in forced migration.
We hope that you enjoy reading this issue. Our intention is that it will re-energise discussions around socio-economic integration and bring together those who champion integration to take these conversations forward in policy and practice.
With best wishes,
Alice Philip and Olivia Berthon
Editors, Forced Migration Review