The Investigation of Multiple Identities in the Middle East Iraqi Refugees' Repatriation from Syria and Jordan: Facilitating Well-informed Decisions

Abstract

Conceptual framework The voluntary repatriation of Iraqi refugees from neighbouring countries of asylum under circumstances of confl ict or post-confl ict transformation is an increasing phenomenon. Refugees’ desire to re-build their lives in their country of origin depends on their perceptions and expectations of ‘home’, which can differ from those of other stakeholders and humanitarian assistance providers. The decision to repatriate entails refugees’ subjective comparison of the degree of economic and socio-cultural integration achieved in exile vis-a-vis information about conditions at home. Refugees can directly assess their living conditions in the country of asylum. In contrast, reliable information on the security situation in their country of origin, conditions in areas of return, and opportunities for repatriation is not always readily available. The decision to return depends largely upon the nature and sources of the available information.