EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 82.4 million individuals have been forcibly displaced from their homes. More than a third of them are refugees, and more than 13 million are under the age of 18. In contrast to the portrayals of children wandering among the iconic UNHCR white tents in refugee camps, new images of refugee boys and girls attending public schools raise questions about the role of humanitarianism and education across the world. What are the causes of forced migration? Who counts as a refugee today? What do camp refugees and urban refugees have in common? How do we guarantee access to school for these populations? What would a high-quality curriculum look like for these students?
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify and interrupt assumptions (including stereotypes and prejudices) about migrants, particularly refugees. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Critically examine the links between the modern state, borders, security, and forced migration. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Differentiate the foundations and evolution of the field of education in emergencies in relation to refugee issues and adopt a critical stance on refugee education. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Analyze how educators in formal and nonformal settings can offer rich learning experiences to children and youth with refugee status. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Exercise your academic skills in oral presentations and writing. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Develop the conceptual tools to trace and follow conversations about the modern state, borders, security, and forced migration. Audience: Graduate 7. Critically assess academic literature in the fields of refugee studies and education in emergencies. Audience: Graduate 8. Draw from key concepts to analyze how educators in formal and nonformal settings shape the learning experiences of children and youth with refugee status. Audience: Graduate 9. Write an argument-driven paper and exercise your academic skills in oral presentations. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify and interrupt assumptions (including stereotypes and prejudices) about migrants, particularly refugees. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Critically examine the links between the modern state, borders, security, and forced migration. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Differentiate the foundations and evolution of the field of education in emergencies in relation to refugee issues and adopt a critical stance on refugee education. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Analyze how educators in formal and nonformal settings can offer rich learning experiences to children and youth with refugee status. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Exercise your academic skills in oral presentations and writing. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Develop the conceptual tools to trace and follow conversations about the modern state, borders, security, and forced migration. Audience: Graduate 7. Critically assess academic literature in the fields of refugee studies and education in emergencies. Audience: Graduate 8. Draw from key concepts to analyze how educators in formal and nonformal settings shape the learning experiences of children and youth with refugee status. Audience: Graduate 9. Write an argument-driven paper and exercise your academic skills in oral presentations. Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027