Refugees and Host State Repression

What determines levels of repression targeting refugee populations? Do states hosting refugees specifically target these populations with increased repression? Why and when does this occur? There are vast discrepancies in the ways in which host states respond to refugees; however, as the number of refugees worldwide continually increases so does the amount of repression targeting them. Given that there is a direct and positive relationship between refugees and the use of repression, my aim is to discover the specific conditions that lead to the use of repression targeting refugee populations. In tackling the broader question relating to refugees and repression, I argue that the connection between refugees and repression can be determined by the following. First, factors inherent with the refugees themselves play a role in levels of host state repression targeting refugees. This pertains to refugee populations fleeing conflict, as well as refugee populations that can be tied to violent acts. Second, I argue that human rights organizations as well as institutionalized systems and norms within the state can mitigate host state repression targeting refugees. Finally, I explore the impact that state characteristics can have on its treatment of refugee populations, namely a state’s political stability and levels of state capacity. Using a new dataset that captures state repression of refugee populations, I find ample support for my proposed covariates of host state repression targeting refugees.