Workshop report
International workshop 22 September 2010
Aim
Although faith communities and faith-based organisations (FBOs) are often at the forefront of humanitarian responses to people affected by conflict, crisis and forced migration across the globe, little is known about the scale, nature and impacts of their interventions. This international workshop brought together scholars, practitioners and forced migrants from different faith perspectives and diverse disciplinary backgrounds to explore the motivations and practices of faith communities and FBOs in their response to forced displacement. Drawing on primary research conducted across Sub-Saharan Africa, theMiddle East and North Africa, South-East Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia, presenters examined interactions between FBOs, secular humanitarian organisations and displaced populations (including internally displaced persons, asylum-seekers and refugees). The presentations also analysed the role(s) that religion, religiosity, and concepts of faith and secularism play in the lives of forced migrants themselves. Whilst discussing a range of faiths, the contributions primarily focused on Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and secular responses to forced displacement. This report provides a summary of the presentations and participant discussions, following the thematic structure of the workshop. Since one of the aims of the workshop was to highlight the need for further academic and policy engagement with faith-based humanitarianism in contexts of forced displacement, it concludes by presenting some avenues for further research and consideration.