Psychology and the Refugee Experience

This paper traces the development of psychological concepts and theories that have emerged in response to major refugee crises since the end of World War II. These are examined across four major historic periods: World War II and its aftermath; the Indochinese crisis and Latin American dictatorships; post-1989 geo-political transformations and repatriations; and post-9/11 securitisation of migration. The paper also examines the application of psychology to the service of refugees in clinical practice, humanitarian assistance, and advocacy and social justice. The paper brings together psychological literature related to the different phases of the refugee experience such as conflict and post-conflict, displacement, adaptation in countries of (re)-settlement and return. It argues that while new concepts and theories have emerged as a result of historically and geographically situated refugee crises, their application to ameliorate the lives of refugees has been selected, and there is a need to integrate conceptual developments and applications across regions, sub-disciplines and phases.