The relevance of the 1951 Refugee Convention in a fragmented world

Thursday, 22 October 2026, 5pm to 6pm

About this talk:
The 1951 Refugee Convention, commonly considered the cornerstone of the modern international refugee protection regime, was drafted as the world was recovering from the devastation of the Second World War. Through the newly-established United Nations, States sought a more collaborative, rules-based international system to secure key international goals and the protection of human rights. Today, this multilateral legal order is under unprecedented strain, as a number of nationalist and populist governments question long-term commitments to key international institutions, and refugee and human rights issues appear secondary to concerns regarding state sovereignty and national identity. Set against this backdrop, it might be considered a dubious time to be celebrating the anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

In this talk, Professors Sarah Singer and Evangelia (Lilian) Tsourdi reflect on the enduring utility of the 1951 Convention today in the face of mounting global fragmentation. This seminar introduces a double special issue of the International Journal of Refugee Law (volume 38, issues 3 and 4) commemorating the anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. This publication brings together commentary from leading academics, practitioners and those with lived experience, to reflect on key aspects of the international refugee protection regime and its future in today’s increasingly fragmented world.

About the speakers:
Sarah Singer is a Professor of Refugee Law at the Refugee Law Initiative, School of Advanced Study, University of London. She is an internationally recognised expert on asylum and criminality and has broader research interests in domestic and international refugee and human rights law. She is inaugural Programme Director of the distance-learning Master’s programme in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies, and Joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Refugee Law (OUP).

Lilian Tsourdi is Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in European Migration Law and Governance at the Law Faculty of Maastricht University, as well as the joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Refugee Law (OUP). She is currently (2025-2029) Principal Investigator of the SoftEn (Soft Enforcement of EU Migration Law) project supported by a European Research Council Starting Grant.

The seminar will be followed by drinks in the hall, registration is not required. All enquiries should be directed to:
rsc-outreach@qeh.ox.ac.uk

Term: Michaelmas, Week 2

Series: Refugee Studies Centre Events

Venue: Queen Elizabeth House - Seminar Room 1
Seminar Room 1 Queen Elizabeth House 4 Mansfield Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 3TB United Kingdom

Department: International Development (Department)

Host: Refugee Studies Centre