Introduction

This book presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book is a contribution to the study of the hypocrisy of the international refugee determination system from the standpoint of Canada, which happens to be one of its more vocal advocates. It explores difficult questions of motivation and justification in the highly-charged domain of refugee research. The book focuses on the differentiation between the arguments and justifications, between arguing and justifying, in the hope of drawing the attention to one of the many reasons why the refugee claiming process is itself a traumatic, sometimes debilitating experience, which has repercussions that linger far beyond the moment when the decision is rendered. It also focuses on the valuable research that goes on in the fields of refugee studies, international law, sociology, anthropology, history and politics, and the critical work that happens each day in hearing rooms, refugee camps, hospitals and community centres.