028 // Who decides who gets in? Foreign Service Officers and the negotiation of refugee policy

Featured speaker: Andriata Chironda

Refugees and refugee policy are frequently subject of political debate and discussion. However, we rarely hear from refugee applicants themselves, or the public servants who spend so much time negotiating their claims. Who are the people who do these jobs, and how do they interpret national refugee policy in the middle of war? What does agency mean in this context -- who has it, and what does it look like?

In this salon, Andriata and I will discuss the insights and personal stories Andriata learned from her extensive conversations with policy officers about their experiences and their role in determining “who gets in.” She will also talk about refugee policy within the context of the Cold War, and the experience of representing a nation abroad. Andy’s research focuses on Canada, but (as always!) the conversation will touch on more general themes and ideas.

Andriata's research is on the history of international migration and refugee protection policy since the end of the Second World War, with a focus on African refugees. She received her Ph.D. in History from Carleton University in 2019, titled Narrators, Navigators and Negotiators - Foreign Service Officer Life Stories from Canada's Resettlement Program (in Africa), 1970 to 1990. Andriata has also worked as a policy analyst with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada since 2010.