The Center for Security Policy Studies-Korea (CSPS-K) conducted the 2021 CSPS-Korea Knowledge In Motion Series on <Refugees: Our Unfounded Fear> on November 24, 2021. The Series addressed the struggles, hardships, and barriers refugees face when attempting to find and resettle into a new home. Through the use of the documentary, “This is Home: A Refugee Story” translated into Korean by the student fellows at CSPS-K, and expert commentary by professionals in the field of refugee law and policy research, the Seminar shed light on the issues of refugees that many Koreans are unaware of in hopes to find out what and why we fear.
Session 1 titled “What We Fear” screened the documentary, “This is Home: A Refugee Story,” directed by Alexandra Shiva, which genuinely illustrates the plights and suffering of few refugee families, but also describes what millions of displaced persons go through every day. After the screening of the documentary, George Mason University Assistant Professor of Global Affairs Dr. Yasemin Ipek joined us through Zoom to provide her insight into why the film is so important, and the factors that construct our unfounded fear.
Session 2 titled “Why We Fear” invited Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL) Lawyer, Mr. Il Lee, and Visiting Scholar at the IOM-Migration Research Training Center and full-time researcher at Ewha Womans University Asia Women Studies Research Center, Dr. Seo Yeon Park for two separate discourses about refugee policy and a question-and-answer session. Through their unique lens and fascinating commentary, they expertly answered the questions presented by the audience and helped us understand the reasons behind why we fear.
The seminar concluded successfully, having more than 60 in-person participants. We would like to thank all of the volunteers, faculty, and staff who helped make this event such a success and the special guests who joined us on stage and in the audience.
Seminar Online Video Links:
Session 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUs8i3AtKvU&t=2818s
Session 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JzeLXElMm4
The Symposium Concept Note is available here