Dr Susan Banki

Research Interests

Susan Banki’s research interests lie in the political, institutional, and legal contexts that explain the roots of and solutions to international human rights violations. In particular, she is interested in the ways that questions of sovereignty, citizenship/membership and humanitarian principles have shaped our understanding of and reactions to various transnational phenomena, such as the international human rights regime, international migration and the provision of international aid. Susan’s focus is in the Asia-Pacific region, where she has conducted extensive field research in Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh and Japan on refugee/migrant protection, statelessness and border control. She is currently investigating the local, regional and international mechanisms (and the interactions between them) that serve as potential levers for change.

Her current research and teaching interests include: forced displacement and international migration, refugee resettlement, transnational social movements, human rights at the United Nations and humanitarian assistance.

Past Teaching

GOVT 6117 International Politics of Human Rights

Current Teaching

HRTD6903 Dynamics of Human Rights Violations

Publications

Books Chapters

• 2008. “The Durable Solution Discourse and Refugee Resettlement: the Bhutanese in Nepal,” ch. 2 in Howard Adelman, ed., Protracted Displacement in Asia: No Place to Call Home. London: Ashgate.
• 2008. “Protracted Displacement on the Thai-Burmese Border: The Interrelated Search for Durable Solutions,” ch. 3 in Howard Adelman, ed., Protracted Displacement in Asia: No Place to Call Home. London: Ashgate. (with Hazel Lang).

Peer-Reviewed Articles

• 2009. “Conflict and Crisis, Refugee Flows and Aid Flows: The Case of Burma,” Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 28:2, (Fall 2009), pp. 47-73.
• 2006. “Burmese Refugees in Tokyo: Livelihoods in the Urban Environment,” Journal of Refugee Studies, 19:3 (Spring 2006), pp. 328-344.
• 2006. “The Triad of Transnationalism, Legal Recognition, and Local Community: Shaping Political Space for the Burmese Refugees in Japan,” Refuge, 23:2 (Winter 2006), pp. 36-46.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles and Editorials

• 2008. “Kilt” New Mandala: New Perspectives on Mainland Southeast Asia, (November 25, 2008). http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2008/11/25/kilt/
• 2008. “Difficult to remain: the impact of mass resettlement,” Forced Migration Review, 30 (April 2008), pp. 42-45. (with Hazel Lang)
• 2008. “Can Aid Change Burma?” Far East Economic Review Online Forum, (May 2008). http://www.feer.com/features/2008/may/Can-Aid-Change-Burma
• 2007. “Asean Goes Silent on Burma, Again.” Far East Economic Review Online Forum, (November 2007). http://www.feer.com/politics/2008/january/asean-goes-silent-on-burma-again1
• 2007. “The Broken Promises of Military Rule,” Boston Globe, November 17, 2007, Opinion Section. (with Hassan Abbas).

Policy Briefs

• 2010 (forthcoming). Resolving Immigration Status: Review of the International Literature. Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW.
• 2010 (forthcoming). Resolving Immigration Status: Comparative Case Studies. Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW.
• 2008. Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal: Anticipating the Impact of Resettlement. (June) Sydney: Austcare, Griffith University.
• 2008. “Responses to Statelessness,” Australian Refugee Rights Alliance, June 2008. Draft Discussion Paper prepared for 59th session of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR’s Programme. Geneva.
• 2007. “Protracted Refugee Situations. A State of Limbo,” Australian Refugee Rights Alliance, September 2007. Draft Discussion Paper prepared for 58th session of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR’s Programme. Geneva.
• 2007. “Planning for the Future: The Impact of Resettlement on the Remaining Camp Population,” commissioned by the Committee for the Coordination of Services to Displaced Persons in Thailand (July 2007). Bangkok. Available at www.tbbc.org. (with Hazel Lang)
• 2004. “Refugee Integration in the Intermediate Term: A study of Nepal, Pakistan, and Kenya,” New Issues in Refugee Research, Working Paper No. 108 (Geneva: UNHCR, 2004). Available at <http://www.unhcr.org/research/RESEARCH/416b98b94.pdf>.