This thesis is a qualitative and quantitative study of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its crisis response strategies. The project examines the UNHCR through semi-structured interviews and case studies on the Rohingya and Afghan refugee crises. I conclude that further research on the root causes of refugee crises and their impact on the UNHCR is needed, and that causal factors should be given more weight in how we conceptualize the work of UN agencies as they endeavor to provide refugees with solutions.

Thank you so much to Dr. Abdelaaty for serving as my advisor, and Jared Van Ramshorst as my reader. Thank you to Honors for supporting me in all my work and for awarding me with Crown Funding. Many many thanks to Dr. D'Amico and the rest of the IR faculty/staff. And of course, thank you to my friends and family!

Links to Project Materials:

Additional support provided by: Honors Funding

College of Arts & Sciences 2020, Social Science Projects 2020