Policy

Policy and Society

Wanted: a fairer deal for Syrian refugees

As the war in Syria enters its fifth year there is still no agreement within Europe on the best way to provide protection to the millions of refugees who have fled since 2011. While European Union law states that asylum-seekers should apply in the first country they enter, usually in southern Europe, in practice most Syrians trying to reach Europe head for member countries in the north. Over 40,000 Syrians arrived across Italy’s borders in 2014 alone, but since 2011 there have only been 2,000 applications for asylum there. They…

As the war in Syria enters its fifth year there is still no agreement within Europe on the best way to provide protection to the millions of refugees who have…

New Malden-a refuge for North Koreans

Step out of the station and the first thing you see on your left is a tiny Asian takeaway. Walk further up the main street and you start to see why the area has also been dubbed “Little Korea”: next to regular English businesses are Korean restaurants, travel companies and supermarkets. Many shops have Korean translations in their windows and puns on the word “Seoul” are everywhere. This is New Malden, Surrey. According to the 2011 report of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, more than 42,000 South…

Step out of the station and the first thing you see on your left is a tiny Asian takeaway. Walk further up the main street and you start to see…

Migration trends

Migration goes in all directions, though focus in the West tends to be only on immigrants moving there. In reality, more than half the top 20 migration routes worldwide are movements of people from one country in the developing world to another. Migration from developed to developing regions also tends to be overlooked. Currently this accounts for only 3–6 per cent of total migration, but there is evidence that this flow is increasing. The main “reverse flow” routes are the US to Mexico and South Africa, Germany to Turkey, Portugal…

Migration goes in all directions, though focus in the West tends to be only on immigrants moving there. In reality, more than half the top 20 migration routes worldwide are…

'Refugees across the airwaves'

Refugee Radio is a weekly radio programme that stands against the victimisation of refugees in the media. Broadcast on local FM and internet stations, its mission is to provide a platform for refugees to produce and tell their own stories. Founder Stephen Silverwood explained how the organisation started purely by chance while he was running a pirate radio show in his spare time. A refugee friend happened to be around to join him on the show one evening, and the idea was born. The participant in question was Heval Akram…

Refugee Radio is a weekly radio programme that stands against the victimisation of refugees in the media. Broadcast on local FM and internet stations, its mission is to provide a…

Effect of landlord immigration checks

Migrants who rent homes are becoming fearful of discrimination by landlords, according to the latest findings of an independent survey on the current Right to Rent pilot scheme. The scheme is part of the Immigration Act 2014 and requires landlords to carry out specific checks on the immigration status of potential tenants. Landlords face a fine of up to £3,000 if they fail to do so. The government has been piloting the scheme since December 2014 in Birmingham and the surrounding areas of Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton in the…

Migrants who rent homes are becoming fearful of discrimination by landlords, according to the latest findings of an independent survey on the current Right to Rent pilot scheme. The scheme…

War of words over interpreters

At a time when the question of immigration is divisive, there is one group of would be migrants many Britons would welcome. The UK’s own army of migrant workers includes up to 10,000 men and women who fought in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. In that time they employed about 4,000 Afghan civilians, including an unknown number of interpreters who faced many of the same risks as British troops. At least 26 interpreters were killed and 150 wounded during action in Afghanistan so far. But the risks for local staff…

At a time when the question of immigration is divisive, there is one group of would be migrants many Britons would welcome. The UK’s own army of migrant workers includes…

Effect of closing of post study work visa

Policy changes to affect UK economy A report on the UK Post-Study Work Opportunities for International Students has found that the government greatly underestimated the impact its 2012 policy changes would have on the number of students securing visas with the actual reduction likely to affect the economy heavily. The inquiry, by All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration, found out that the real reduction in numbers of students securing visas stands at 88 per cent not 49 percent as government earlier estimated. Foreign students contribute more than £10 billion a year to UK economy and…

Policy changes to affect UK economy A report on the UK Post-Study Work Opportunities for International Students has found that the government greatly underestimated the impact its 2012 policy changes would have on the…

Making a better future for multicultural London

Michelle Johansen of Bishopsgate Institute discovers a positive attitude towards migration and multiculturalism among Langdon School pupils in East London. According to data from the 2011 census roughly 20% of Londoners have English as a second language, a figure that rises to 40% in the culturally diverse borough of Newham where Langdon School is situated. Pupils on the roll at Langdon come from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. This informs the planning of some lessons as history teacher Andy Brown explained: ‘Newham borough has been home to migrants for…

Michelle Johansen of Bishopsgate Institute discovers a positive attitude towards migration and multiculturalism among Langdon School pupils in East London. According to data from the 2011 census roughly 20% of…

Abolishing slavery - learning from the legacy

In 2013, two films covered the topic of slavery: "Django Unchained" and "Lincoln." Whilst Django puts a slave at the centre of resistance against slavery, Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" utilizes the more traditional route of politicians taking centre stage in the abolition of slavery. How true is it that slaves and ordinary people played a part in the abolition of slavery? Renowned author historian Marcus Rediker says in his latest book, The Amistad Rebellion, that "the American actors-abolitionists, attorneys, judges, and politicians have elbowed aside the African ones whose daring actions…

In 2013, two films covered the topic of slavery: "Django Unchained" and "Lincoln." Whilst Django puts a slave at the centre of resistance against slavery, Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" utilizes the…

Latin Americans: no longer invisible

The number of people in Britain from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in the Americas has increased rapidly in the last decade. They are generally identified by nationality – Brazilian, Colombian and so on. Now, reports Rebecca Suner, some are campaigning to be treated as an ethnic group. A year after the London borough of Southwark recognised Latin Americans as an ethnic group, campaigners are still trying to convince other councils to follow suit. Without recognition, say campaigners, local authorities cannot quantify – and help provide – the health, housing and education…

The number of people in Britain from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in the Americas has increased rapidly in the last decade. They are generally identified by nationality – Brazilian, Colombian…