ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ Septem ber 1998 / 591 I N T E R N E T R E S O U R C E S A world in motion Refugees and resources by Robin Paynter W ith millions of people around the world forced to flee their homes due to war, civil strife, persecution, or famine, refugee populations have grown immensely in the last years. These populations are living in conditions that are not only marginal in terms of health and safety, but are also lacking in the social structure and services that build and hold communities together. The global refugee crisis poses specific challenges to libraries and the values of librarianship here in North America where freedom o f information access and promo­ tion are a basis for democratic institutions, intellectual freedom, and diversity of opin­ ion. To that end, the ACRL Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Section (AAMES) spon­ sored (in conjunction with the Women’s Stud­ ies Section) a program entitled “A World in Motion: Refugees and Resources” at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The focus of the program was to elicit from panelists the perspectives and informa­ tion needs o f refugee service providers re­ lating to library collections. As a continua­ tion o f that program, the following Web re­ sources were selectively culled from a large number of Web pages devoted to the issues of refugees and forced migration. The cho­ sen sites represent a mix of academic and practitioner/primary source sites to serve an audience with a wide breadth of interests. General starting points Following are several good overall Web sites to provide an easy entrée into Web informa­ tion on refugees. Search engines such as Altavista, Hotbot, Lycos, etc. are also valu­ able tools for finding refugee Internet sites. • Human Rights Web. A broad range of sources can be found at this Web site, such as “sites containing information and materi­ als about refugees and aid agencies, human rights treaties, declarations, and other instru­ ments, United Nations documents, foreign law, country information, and international law documents.” Access: http://www.be- in.com/9/ten/rightslink.html. • Refugee Research N etw ork (REFWORLD). A section within the larger United Nations High Commissioner for Refu­ gees, this directory of Web pages indexes Web sites of the leading academic, research, governmental, non-governmental, and inter­ national organizations, etc. Access: http:// www.unhcr.ch/refworld/refworld/refpub/ entry.htm. • The World-Wide Web Virtual Library: Migration and Ethnic Relations. A com- About the author Robin Paynter is Southeast Asian and Pacific Islands Studies/reference librarian at the University o f Oregon Library, e-mail: rpaynter@oregon.uoregon.edu http://www.be- mailto:rpaynter@oregon.uoregon.edu 592 / C&RL News ■ Septem ber 1998 pendium o f a wide range o f migration and ethnic Web sites. To easily find refugee-re lated sites, type “refugee” in search box. A c­ cess: http://w w w .ercom er.org/w w w vl/ index.html. A c a d e m ic re se a rc h ce n te rs • Centre for Refugee Studies. This Web page from York University provides in­ formation about the center, its publications, academic programs, as well as related con­ ferences and a listing o f refugee and human rights W eb resources. Access: http:// www.yorku.ca/research/crs/. • Refugee Studies Center. This Univer­ sity o f Minnesota Web page includes links to an archive collection on refugee issues, pro­ gram and faculty information, and center ac­ tivities and publications. Access: http:// www.isp.acad.umn.edu/RSC/rsc.html. • Refugee Studies Programme. This W eb page is part o f the University o f Oxford’s International Development Centre at Queen Elizabeth House. Similar to the other academic centers, this Web page in­ cludes information on the cen­ ter, associated programs, fac­ ulty, conferences, publications, and a list o f related Web sites. The Programme also under­ took an ambitious digital li­ brary project o f refugee mate­ rials. Access: http://www.qeh. ox.ac.uk/rsp/. U n ite d S ta t e s g o v e r n m e n t a l s ite s • Bureau o f Population, Refugees, and Migration. The Bureau advises on the for­ mulation o f U.S. policies on population, refu­ gees, and migration and administers U.S. refu­ gee assistance and refugee admissions pro­ grams. The Web site contains links to issues in the news, key policy documents, press statements, testimony/briefings, fact sheets, and related W eb sites. Access: http:// w w w .state.gov/w w w /global/prm /index. html. • Immigration and Naturalization Ser­ vice (INS). The service’s Web page provides access to INS forms, laws and regulations, public affairs information, statistics, employer information, and naturalization information. Access: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/. • O ffice o f R efugee Resettlem ent (ORR). A domestic refugee resettlement pro­ gram to provide services to refugees reset­ tling in the United States, this site indexes ORR regulations, funding opportunities, sta­ tistical reports, and links to other federal and state refu gee agencies. Access: http:// www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr/index.html. • United States Agency for Interna­ tional Development (USAID). This Web site features links to USAID’s humanitarian activities, publications, development projects, news, and related topical links such as de­ mocracy, environment, population, and health. Access: http://www.info.usaid.gov/. In te rn a tio n a l g o v e r n m e n t a l o r g a n iz a t io n s ite s Many international governmental organiza­ tions, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Organization o f African States (OAS), have refugee aid programs, though many do not include much relevant information on the Web sites regarding such programs. Thus the following Web sites have been chosen be­ cause o f their primary focus on refugees. • International Organization for Mi­ gration (IO M ). Documents, experts, con­ ferences, data, legislation, etc. are featured on this well-designed multilingual Web site. Access: http://www.iom.ch/welcome.htm. • ReliefWeb. A Web site created by the United Nations Office for the Coordination o f Humanitarian Affairs with the purpose of disseminating current reliable information to the international humanitarian relief commu­ nity. Much o f the information focuses on current humanitarian emergencies, with con­ siderable resources on past disasters, maps, country background information, complex emergencies, and a Bulletin. Access: http:// wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/. http://www.ercomer.org/wwwvl/ http://www.yorku.ca/research/crs/ http://www.qeh http://www.state.gov/www/global/prm/index http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/ http://www.info.usaid.gov/ http://www.iom.ch/welcome.htm C&RL News ■ Septem ber 1998 / 593 • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This premiere site for refugee information features current news, resettlement, WITNESS (documentary series), funding and donor relations, the world (map- and text-based access to country-specific in­ formation about refugees), images, issues (links to feature articles written on promi­ nent refugee issues), teacher information and m aterials, pu blications, maps, and REFWORLD. The latter is a rich research source providing access to United Nations Official Documents, news from around the world, listings o f research organizations, country information, legal information, bib­ liographic information, and reference mate­ rials. Access: http://www.unhcr.ch/. N o n -g o v e rn m e n ta l o rg a n iz a t io n s ite s • A m erican Refugee Com m ittee Worldwide. This Web site includes history and program links, a section on the global refugee crisis, ARC field offices, and a photo gallery. Access: http://www.archq.org/. • Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program. This well-organized Web site features organizational history, news features (o n current issues such as landmines), information on w orld w id e projects, resource/publication information, and links to other organizations. Access: http://bruno.ncccusa.org/cws/immigration. html. • Doctors without Borders USA. The well-known volunteer group’s Web page pro­ vides organizational information, updates on its activities, and press releases. Access: http://w w w .d w b .org/index.htm. • InterAction: American Council for V o lu n tary In te rn a tio n a l Action. InterAction provides a structure for volun­ tary agencies engaged in development and humanitarian relief activities. Its w ell de­ signed Web page features links to InterAction 98 Forum (current hot topics), its publica­ tions, and information on development, refu­ gees, disasters, and advocacy. Access: http://www.interaction.org/index.html. • International Council o f Voluntary Agencies. ICVA is the international counter­ part to InterAction, providing “a permanent international liaison structure for voluntary agency consultation and cooperation.” Their Web site includes information on the organi­ zation, its history, member agencies, publi­ cations, emergency updates, and NGO stan­ dards. Access: http://www.icva.ch/. • International Federation o f Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. An ex­ cellent Web site containing news releases, situation reports, organization information, a directory o f national societies, publications, and the minutes o f their “issue forum” on current humanitarian issues. Access: http:// www.ifrc.org/home.htm. • International Rescue Committee, Resettlement Program. This Web site pro­ vides links to fact sheets, news, their over­ seas programs, health programs, and emer­ gency preparedness, and response informa­ tion. Access: http://www.intrescom.org/ resettle.html. • Migration & Refugee Services: Na­ tional Council o f Catholic Bishops. Links to organizational information, features on current issues in the United States and world­ w id e , and news. Access: http:// www.nccbuscc.org/mrs/index.htm. • Refugees International. This Web site provides information about the organization, its mission and history, annual reports, and extensive feature articles on refugee issues and news. Access: http://www.refintl.org/. • U.S. Com m ittee fo r Refugees (USCR). Links to news and updates, organi­ zational information, worldwide refugee in­ formation, USCR in the field, and publica­ tions. Access: http://www.refugees.org/. E le c tro n ic jo u rn a ls / n e w sle tte rs • Forced M igration Monitor. “The Forced Migration Monitor is an eight-page, bimonthly publication o f the Forced Migra­ tion Projects. Articles in the M onitor focus on issues surrounding forced migration, dis­ placement, and refugees. While the M onitor covers global issues, the geographic empha­ sis is on the countries o f the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia, and the Ameri­ cas” (description from the Web site). Access: h t t p :/ / w w w .s o r o s .o r g / fm ρ 2 / h tm l/ may98.htm. • International Journal o f Refugee Law. One o f the leading academic journals on refugee issues, published by Oxford Uni­ versity Press. General information on jour­ nal, subscription information, and article ab- http://www.unhcr.ch/ http://www.archq.org/ http://bruno.ncccusa.org/cws/immigration http://www.interaction.org/index.html http://www.icva.ch/ http://www.ifrc.org/home.htm http://www.intrescom.org/ http://www.nccbuscc.org/mrs/index.htm http://www.refintl.org/ http://www.refugees.org/ http://www 594 / C&RL News ■ Septem ber 1998 stracts (not full text) is available. Access: http://w w w .ou p.co.uk/reflaw/. • Journal o f Refugee Studies. One of the leading academic journals on refugee is­ sues, published by Oxford University Press. General information on journal, subscription information, and article abstracts (not full text) is available. Access: http://www.oup.co. uk/jnls/list/refuge/. • The PRM Quarterly. “After each quar­ ter in the year, PRM (population, refugees, and migration) Assistant Secretary Taft sends out a letter to various Friends o f PRM— hu­ manitarian representatives, think tank execu­ tives, academics, etc. The letter provides high­ lights and summarizes activities o f PRM dur­ ing the previous quarter” (description from Web site). Access: http://www.state.gov/ www/global/prm/letters_index.html. • Refugee Participation Netw ork. “Newsletter published three times a year in English and Spanish; each issue focuses on a different theme with articles written by a wide range o f individuals, plus conference reports, book reviews, news o f publications and in­ form a tion about the R efu g ee Studies Programme” (description from Web site). Access: http://www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp/rpn. htm. • Refugee Survey Quarterly. One o f the leading academic journals on refugee issues, published by Oxford University Press. Gen­ eral information on journal, subscription in­ formation, and article abstracts (not full text). Access: http://www .oup.co.uk/refqtl/. • Refugees. A publication o f the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, it is “a quarterly magazine that describes refu­ gee events and issues, as well as UNHCR’s efforts to assist those in need.” Access: http://www.unhcr.ch/pubs/pubs.htm. D is c u s s io n lis ts • ASYLUM-L. According to the listowner, ASYLUM-L is a “discussion list on the legal aspects o f asylum and refugee status: inter­ pretation o f the Geneva Refugee Convention, procedural aspects, evidence, eligibility, ac­ cess to the procedure, human rights and per­ secution, free movement o f asylum seekers, etc.” ASYLUM_L is an open, unmoderated list. Subscribe: majordomo@ufsia.ac.be. • EWNET-L. The listowner says, “The pur­ pose o f EWNET-L is to provide a platform for mutual discussion for researchers (aca­ demic and nonacademic) and policy makers on issues related to early warning. This in­ cludes the exchange o f research, ideas, in­ formation etc. on Early Warning. Early Warning here is very broadly defined as the Early Warning o f humanitarian disasters, which includes ethnic/communal conflict, genocides/politicides, wars, refugee migra­ tions etc. We hope to link as many people together into this worldwide network in or­ der to create a community o f Early Warning scholars and strengthen ties between the re­ search and policy community. Currently there are 100+ individuals and organizations signed up on EWNET-L and w e are grow ing. EWNET-L is a closed list in order to avoid commercial abuse o f the list. Subscribe: you need to be added manually by the list-man ager. In order apply send a message to ewnet@yorku.ca to get application details.” • CCRLIST. “Together the Resettlement Unit at the Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) and the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) have launched an electronic mailing list for non-governmental organizations (N G O s) [that] focus on protection and resettlement issues. The purpose o f this mailing list (to date there are nearly 200 NGO subscribers involved in the protection and resettlement o f refugees and the settlement o f refugees and immigrants), is to promote collabora­ tion, information sharing and community spirit … ” This mailing list is closed to government and the media. Subscribe: send a message to lydias@yorku.ca saying you want to subscribe to CCRLIST and please mention your affiliation. C u r r e n t in fo r m a t io n s o u rc e s • Clari.news.refugees and clari.news. immigration. These Clarinet newsgroups have up-to-date newswire articles on refu­ gee situations throughout the world. Because o f the interlinked nature o f refugees and im­ migration, often both newsgroups will post the same articles. • Refugee News. A Web site of news about refugees and asylum-seekers’ issues, includ­ ing sections on latest news, recent news, an archive, and links to other refugee and hu­ manitarian W eb sites. Access: http:// m e m b e r s .tr ip o d .c o m / ~ r e fu g e e n e w s / index.html. http://www.oup.co http://www.state.gov/ http://www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp/rpn http://www.oup.co.uk/refqtl/ http://www.unhcr.ch/pubs/pubs.htm mailto:majordomo@ufsia.ac.be mailto:ewnet@yorku.ca mailto:lydias@yorku.ca C&RL News ■ Septem ber 7998 / 595