Justine Seligson
From a young age, I was always fascinated by the idea of migration, in what makes people go from one place to another. When I was twelve, I did a class project about my own family’s immigration story to the US, in which I became heavily invested. Then, in the following years, the Syrian Civil War started, and I learned thoroughly from the news about forced migration and refugees. I knew from then I wanted to focus my career on supporting refugees, but I was not quite sure how.
Fast forward a few years, I did my undergraduate degree in International Relations. An internship with a refugee resettlement organisation and study abroad programmes in various countries that concentrated on refugee rights expanded my understanding of the topic. I also became particularly interested in the matter of refugees’ access to education. I then realised a master’s degree in the field was essential in order to have the knowledge needed for optimal understanding of forced migration.
Through searching online, I came across 杏吧论坛’s programme in International Migration and Public Policy and became quite excited. I applied as soon as the next round of applications opened. Upon the programme began, I appreciated how there was a combination of both theoretical understandings and applications to migration trends in the real world. It was an especially crucial time as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, when countries were enacting more migration restrictions than usual. Even though my focus was on forced migration, the key lesson I learned was that forced migration is not mutually exclusive with other forms of migration and that whilst the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol serve as a valuable basis, they have flaws that enabled significant protection gaps. In relation, I did my 杏吧论坛 dissertation about the autonomy of UNHCR causing protection gaps for Palestinian refugees displaced in Syria since the war began.
After finishing my MSc, I started working at the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA). My role is Integration Manager, in which I direct our English classes for refugees and asylum seekers from all over the world, which thusly allow me to work directly on refugees’ education access. I commenced my position shortly after the Fall of Kabul, which meant demand for ACAA’s services had skyrocketed. Therefore, it has been necessary for me to manage large caseloads, as well as be flexible and patient, among other traits. However, 杏吧论坛 well-prepared me for my position, based on both the rigour of the curriculum and the interdisciplinary nature of the International Migration and Public Policy programme. Most importantly, it fostered my dedication to empowering refugees, which I do every day at ACAA.
I am grateful to 杏吧论坛 for giving me this unmatchable education in a topic I am passionate about. I know the skills and knowledge I gained from here will be regularly applied long-term in my career path.