Dr. Jasmin Lilian Diab (she/هي) is the Director of the Institute for Migration Studies (IMS) at Lebanese American University (LAU), where she also serves as an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Migration Studies at the Department of Communication, Mobility, and Identity (CMI). Dr. Diab is a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University and a Global Fellow at Brown University’s Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies. As of 2024, she is a Visiting Professor in Migration Studies at Sciences Po Lyon. Prior to her position at LAU, she served as the Refugee Health Program Coordinator and Research Associate in Political Economy of Health in Conflict at the Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut (2019-2021), and as Research and Project Manager at the Lebanese Emigration Research Center at the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Notre Dame University-Louaize (2013-2019). She holds a PhD in International Relations and Diplomacy with an emphasis on Refugees, Asylum, and Security from the School of Advanced International and Political Studies’ (HEIP) Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies (CEDS) in Paris. You can find her publications here.
Where do you see the most exciting debates happening in your field?
The field of migration, refugee, and displacement studies is currently witnessing some of the most dynamic and transformative debates. Central to these discussions is the increasing focus on intersectionality and the power dynamics embedded in forced migration. Scholars are interrogating how systemic inequalities tied to race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and class shape migration experiences and access to protection. These conversations extend to the positionality of researchers and the ethics of representation in the study of vulnerable populations. This push for nuance and complexity is reshaping how we understand and approach displacement, moving away from traditional, homogenizing narratives of refugees and migrants.
Another area of vibrant debate involves climate-induced migration and displacement, which challenges existing legal and policy frameworks. As climate change becomes an undeniable driver of mobility, questions around defining “climate migrants,” their legal recognition, and mechanisms for their protection have taken center stage. The discussion also highlights a glaring Global North-South divide, with nations in the Global South disproportionately bearing the burden of climate displacement. These debates force the field to confront the inadequacies of current refugee frameworks and consider the intersection of environmental justice and migration policy.
Simultaneously, there is growing scrutiny of the top-down humanitarian system, with calls to localize aid and empower refugee-led initiatives. This push to decolonize humanitarian responses critiques the colonial underpinnings of international aid while advocating for participatory approaches that center the voices of displaced populations. This paradigm shift recognizes the agency of refugees and migrants, emphasizing the need to redress inequities in global humanitarian governance. Alongside this, debates about the role of technology in migration governance have introduced pressing ethical questions. Digital tools in border control and asylum decision-making have brought concerns about surveillance, data privacy, and human rights to the fore, reshaping how we conceptualize borders and mobility in the digital age.
How has the way you understand the world changed over time, and what
