Refugeedom: Making Room in the Crowded Conceptual Terrain

ABSTRACT: Although a crowded conceptual terrain characterizes the study of refugees in the modern world, this article makes a case for adopting the concept of refugeedom. Translated from the Russian-language term that entered the lexicon during World War I, "refugeedom" encapsulates the magnitude of population displacement and its consequences for policymaking, but crucially also suggests the manifestation of a distinct new human condition. Whereas other, more widely used terms, in particular the "international refugee regime," capture important aspects of forced migration, "refugeedom" takes account of a much broader realm of sites, policies, and practices, and incorporates the experiences and perspectives of refugees as political actors in their own right.