Camps and Camp-Like Settings in Urban Environments: Bridging Humanitarian and Development Activities

What visions, concepts, and methods do the different actors have to actively support the transformation of camps/camp-like settings from temporary emerging solutions to permanent structures?

Project Summary

The challenge of providing refugees with dignified living conditions from the moment of displacement is urgent, as crises worldwide provoke increasing refugee waves. In terms of hosting, when compared to modern, human-centred approaches to urban development, traditional aid structures – such as refugee camps – often fall short, showing that there is a significant gap between conventional refugee aid mechanisms and contemporary proactive urban development needs and practices. This gap contributes to ineffective integration and increased risks of exclusion for refugees in host societies.

This research seeks to bridge the divide between emergency aid and urban development by focusing on the role of urban planning in bringing together humanitarian and development efforts to enhance migration and asylum policies, thereby promoting sustainable socio-spatial and economic integration for refugees.

The research uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse the socio-spatial dynamics of refugee camps. The team, consisting of nine scholars, including NGO workers, research fellows, and professors, conducts case studies in Moldova, Jordan, and Switzerland.

In so doing, the project proposes a fresh perspective by reimagining refugee camps as neighbourhoods, providing a new approach for the scientific community. The findings will be disseminated through scientific articles, a policy brief, and an online platform, ensuring that the insights support all relevant stakeholders and contribute to better refugee integration policies.

Research Team

Hind Al-Shoubaki
Coordinator
Nordwestschweiz University

Matthias Drilling
Co-coordinator
Nordwestschweiz University

Ciara Patterson
Principal Member
Nordwestschweiz University

Serghei Sprînceau
Principal Member
State University of Moldavia

Alexandru Guigov
Principal Member
State University of Moldavia

Inga Grigoriu
Principal Member
State University of Moldavia

Zaid Eyadat
Principal Member
University of Jordan

Wa’ed Alshoubaki
Principal Member
University of Jordan

Reem Saleh
Principal Member
University of Jordan