From a Western perspective (mainly US-centric belief), refugees pose as an economic strain. This idea is laced in political rhetoric, and countries around the world have banded together to close their borders and turn their backs on those in need. Paul Collier and Alexander Betts, the authors of Refuge: Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World, believe that the fundamental issue with foreign policy is that refugees are seen as burdens instead of potential assets. So how

In recent years, the neighborhood surrounding Istanbul’s Fatih Mosque looked like an ordinary Turkish street. Since then, the area has transformed itself into a piece of Syria; street signs are written in Arabic, and refugees inhabit nearby houses. An employee at a cafe describes his surroundings; "We've got Syrian supermarkets, Syrian restaurants — just like back home. I haven't even applied for a Turkish ID card. If peace comes to Syria, I'll go home tomorrow." Some Turk

This week has brought about good news, including the expansion of a 2015 UN agreement on the resettlement of refugees in the EU, and progress on initiatives that provide employment and health opportunities to Syrians. The UN plans to resettle 22,000 refugees seeking asylum within the EU by 2018. This change, combined with previous policies, will increase the total number of Syrians entering Europe to 40,000 annually. German chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed her enthusia

One week ago, Andrej Mahecic, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, issued a statement at a Geneva peace talk which concerned the flow of refugees throughout Syria. He describes a “notable trend” in IDPs returning home; in fact, 440,000 have returned from January, 2017, to the end of July. Furthermore, the UN will continue “providing protection services, improving shelter conditions and assist in the rehabilitation of some essential infrastructur