ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that whether the framework of human security may offer a complementary source of protection in the face of eroding refugee rights. In the background to these debates lie disciplinary boundaries between scholars of international relations and international law respectively. The chapter examines the concept of human security through the lens of refugee protection. Refugees and asylum seekers are never far from international and domestic security discussions. The main limiting factor to the usefulness of the concept of human security is said to be the lack of a precise definition. The people-centered focus of human security, irrespective of one's attachment or allegiance to the State, is conceptually powerful for refugees and other non-citizens. Dual strategies of protection and empowerment, the concept of human security aims to foster long-term solutions to refugee problems. Human security speaks to state interests, while reinforcing human rights objectives.
