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When do Refugees Return Home? : Evidence from Syrian Displacement in Mashreq

Author

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  • Beaman,Lori A.
  • Onder,Harun
  • Onder,Stefanie
Abstract
This paper provides an empirical analysis of refugee returns to the Syrian Arab Republic. Since 2011, about 5.6 million Syrians—more than a quarter of the country’s pre-conflict population—have been registered as refugees. By mid-2018, only about 1.8 percent of them had returned to Syria voluntarily. This paper compiles a novel data set with administrative data for 2.16 million refugees, existing and new household surveys, a new conflict-events database, and nightlights data for Syria to analyze the correlates of these returns. A reduction in conflict intensity and an increase in luminosity in Syria strongly increase the likelihood of refugees’ return. Differential return rates are observed along key demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, and family status between high and low conflict intensity areas. Interestingly, improvements in the conditions faced by refugees in exile can also increase the likelihood of return.

Suggested Citation

  • Beaman,Lori A. & Onder,Harun & Onder,Stefanie, 2021. "When do Refugees Return Home? : Evidence from Syrian Displacement in Mashreq," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9688, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:9688
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    Cited by:

    1. Joop Age Harm Adema & Cevat Giray Aksoy & Yvonne Giesing & Panu Poutvaara, 2023. "The Effect of Conflict on Ukrainian Refugees’ Return and Integration," CESifo Working Paper Series 10877, CESifo.
    2. Sarah Stillman & Sandra V Rozo & Abdulrazzak Tamim & I Bailey Palmer & Emma Smith & Edward Miguel, 2022. "The Syrian refugee life study: first glance," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 38(3), pages 625-653.
    3. Jacopo Bassetto & Teresa Freitas Monteiro, 2024. "Immigrants’ Returns Intentions and Job Search Behavior When the Home Country Is Unsafe," CESifo Working Paper Series 10908, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Cohesion; Educational Sciences; Inequality; Nutrition; Food Security;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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