Annotated Bibliography Byman, D., and Speakman, S. "The Syrian Refugee Crisis: Bad and Worse Options." The Washington Quarterly, vol. 39, no. 2, 25 Jul. 2016, pp. 45-60. Auraria Library, doi:10.1080/0163660X.2016.1204352 Authors Speakman and Byman begin their scholarly essay by briefly examining how countries, especially that of the U.S., have restricted their borders for Syrian refugees to come through and why. They both acknowledge that refugees are known to carry conflicts with them when they move elsewhere, primarily acting as "carriers for regional radicalization" (Byman & Speakman, 2016). Nonetheless, the refugee crisis is one that must be handled regardless; it cannot be ignored and will certainly not go away by itself. Speakman and Byman present a total of five options on how they certainly believe the Syrian refugee crisis can be appropriately handled. These options consist of accepting them into the country, sending financial aid, establishing sanctuaries close enough (but still far from the conflict), sending U.S. military to combat in the region, or closing all the borders of Syria to avoid any further terrorism. Because of these options, this source would be interesting to include in my research because Speakman and Byman list off unique, scholarly, realistic, and alternative approaches that one could think about in terms of resolving the Syrian refugee issue in different ways instead of not allowing them in the U.S. Daniels, Owen. "4 Reasons the US Should Support the Resettlement of Syrian Refugees." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 23 Nov. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. Through four main points, Huffington Post writer Daniel Owen explains his stance as to why the United States Government should support and allow the reestablishment of Syrian refugees. Owen approaches a different path of presenting information on this topic, going more into the background information behind it to readers, as most writers that would also agree typically go about by analyzing the extremely small link of refugees posing as terrorists to carry out attacks and instead argue they don’t cause a real problem. Owen’s points are: gaining refugee status in the country isn’t as easy as some may think it is (it’s a long process), arguing the refugee crisis distracts people from more pressing issues, helping refugee’s counters ISIS’s propaganda, and lastly the morality behind assisting them. This is a useful article I could use as a source because of these alternative points the author brings up, and how easily expanded they can be. For instance, I can go into depth on the process of background checking and how an individual gains refugee status in the U.S. Dearden, Lizzie. "UN Report Finds No Evidence Migration Causes Terror Attacks and Warns Anti-refugee Laws Could Worsen Risk." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 24 Oct. 2016. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. Lizzie Dearden finds that the connection between massive amounts of Syrian refugees shifting to other regions and deadly attacks are relatively smaller than some may think. She quotes and utilizes a United Nations investigator, Ben Emmerson, as a source for her article and argument by using his report that there is really little evidence to go off on that refugee flows can cause a serious threat or provoke an attack. If anything however, Emmerson concludes that turning away refugees seeking help may actually assist ISIS and lead them to the group, both as victims and potentially as far as even joining the extremist Islamic group. At the end of her article, Dearden lists off the running numbers of refuges that have gone displaced, and how is it morally our duty to assist them in any way we can. This article would provide aid to my research by how I could explore Mr. Emmerson’s report, and anything else the United Nations has finalized. Holmes, S., and Casteñada, H. (2016). “Representing the ‘European refugee crisis’ in Germany and beyond: Deservingness and difference, life and death.” American Ethnologist, 43, 1224. Google Scholar. doi: 10.1111/amet.12259 This peer-reviewed paper, originally published on the Journal of American Ethnologist, specifically analyzes the broad refugee crisis happening in Europe, centralizing on Germany, a country that has taken in so many refugees lately. The paper goes into studying the consequences European refugees have had on German culture, the steps Germany has taken when dealt with the humanitarian crisis, the links between hospitality and xenophobia, and lastly politically defining terms such as "migrant" and "refugee", people that have experienced displacement from their homes, and the meaning this can carry to others. Authors Holmes and Casteñada include Syrian refugees, but generally focus on refugees that have gained asylum in Germany from other places in the world as well. This is an important source to include because the scholarly paper focuses on the experience of a country that has absorbed so many displaced people, and the example it sets out for not only other European countries, but also ours as well. Ianchovichina, Elena, and Ivanic, Maros. “The Economic Impact of the Syrian War and the Spread of ISIS.” World Bank Group, no. 140. Jan. 2015, pp. 1-3. Google Scholar. Accessed 11 Feb 2017. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10986/22586 This scholarly three page paper analyzes, through statistics and graphs, the devastating economic consequences the war in Syria has recently had on the Levant in the Middle East. While the title of the paper does seem to intend that it will provide some kind of information on the extremist group ISIS, it does not focus much on them. Rather, it is generally assumed that the economic numbers shown in the statistics are provoked to an extent by ISIS, as that is what the war currently entails. This source would only provide background information on the effects the war has had on the region, so that readers can begin to understand why it is not exactly easy to tell Syrian refugees to “go back where they came from”. Jabbar, Sinaria A., and Zaza Haidar I. "Impact of conflict in Syria on Syrian children at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan." Early Child Development and Care, vol. 184, no. 9-10, 27 Mar. 2014, pp. 1507-1530. Auraria Library, doi:10.1080/03004430.2014.916074 This unique, psychological approach authors Jabbar and Haidar take goes into the mindset young children have endured as a result of the civil war in Syria and their own displacement from their homes. Coincidentally, the location of this refugee camp, Zaatari, is the very same one filmmakers Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple visited during their one month stay. Both authors collected studies from several kinds of samples collection from groups of young children that resided in the camp, from the ages of five up to seventeen. The studies basically concluded that the little over half of the children experienced a variety of negative emotions that consequently affected their own daily lives, whether they are playing or learning in one of the education facilities established in Zaatri. Some even displayed symptoms of PTSD and authors Jabber and Haidar highlighted the importance in this. At such a young age, children are practically like sponges, they are capable of absorbing everything that is going on in their surroundings. That is why I believe this scholarly paper is important because it highlights the consequences the war has on the youngest individuals. Kaplan, Jeffrey. "Islamophobia in America?: September 11 and Islamophobic Hate Crime." Terrorism and Political Violence, vol. 18, no. 1, 25 Jan. 2007, pp. 1-33. Google Scholar, doi:10.1080/09546550500383209 The September 11th, 2001 attacks are considered to be the worst terrorist attack in not only U.S. soil, but also of the entire world. It was very unpredictable, or rather too shocking, for some to come to understand this title to fall into the lap of one of the most powerful countries. When it was finally revealed that the nineteen hijackers that lead the four passenger airplanes into their designated targets to be Muslim, a rise of hate crimes manifested throughout the U.S. That is what author Jeffrey Kaplan analysis in his thirty-three page scholarly paper, something that still even continues a decade later. Kaplan also compares this notion to similar events in American history: Pearl Harbor and the Japanese, along with the Red Scare in the paranoid decade of the 1950s. The author also analyzes contributions that have lead to the decrease of the hate crimes post-September 11, and how they continue to influence our culture today through media and technology such as the internet. This would be beneficial for my research topic because it addresses the irrational fear that lead so many Americans loathing innocent Muslims, some even resulting in unjustifiable death, and how despite the abrupt fall, still left a mark in our culture today through stereotypes and other smaller hate crimes. The relevance behind this is that with the current Syrian refugee crisis going on, the opposition to their welcoming in the country can be traced back to the fear that Islamic extremists could potentially carry out another deadly terrorist attack on the United States by disguising themselves otherwise. Posner, Liz. “How Many Refugees Have Been Linked To Terrorism? The Numbers Will Surprise You.” Bustle. BDG Media, Inc, 18 Nov. 2015. Web. In her article, Liz Posner sets up a counter-argumentative field for Republican Governors by not only addressing the very small link between refugees and terrorism, but also the one-eyed view point that potential Syrian refugee terrorists issue a major threat to the country despite the majority of Americans having been murdered by gun-violence and other home-born radical groups; such as Neo-Nazis for instance, in comparison to Muslim Jihadists since the September 11th, 2001 attacks. These are the conclusions that Posner states after she introduces her factual evidence and statistics from credible sources such as the Migration Policy Institute and the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism. In the beginning of her article, Posner states that she certainly understands the fear of terrorists disguising themselves as refugees, being aware of the fact that one of the perpetrators behind the Paris Attacks of 2015 being apparently connected to Syria, but says “these lawmakers need to look at the facts: So few refugees have been linked to terrorism, this should be a non issue” (Posner 2015). This source would be beneficial for my research topic as the author directly settles this rational fear with evidence as well as addressing the double standard that many Americans are not exactly aware about. Salam Neighbor. Dir. Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple. Perf. Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple. Netflix, June 2016. Web. Nov. 2016. This is a documentary that was published on Netflix (US) produced by Zach Ingrasci and his partner Chris Temple. The film is about how Ingrasci and Temple traveled from the U.K. To a two-mile-long Syrian Refugee camp situated in Jordan only a few miles off of the border of Syria. There, the two filmmakers establish themselves in a nearby city for approximately a month. During that time period, Ingrasci and Temple get to know the people living in the camp, and get the chance to interview families and individuals about their background and why they are in the refugee camp now. From a young 10 year old having witnessed his school being bombed, to a 30 year old relief worker who lost everything in his life, the documentary approaches a sympathetic, intimate, first-hand encounter with Syrian refugees that audience members can more easily understand instead of just reading about them online. For my research topic, this film is beneficial because of not only the visuals it presents, but by how rare and unique it is for these two filmmakers to have been granted permission to visit the camp and interact with these people one on one. I can quote the Syrian interviewees, and their history would provide background knowledge for readers to get a glimpse of and know about. Scarborough, Rowan. "Islamic State Finds Success Infiltrating Its Terrorists into Refugee Flows to West." The Washington Times. The Washington Times, 29 Jan. 2017. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. Rown Scarborough informs readers in his recently published article in The Washington Times that ISIS has taken the opportunity to slip in members of the group into the flows of Syrian refugees that continue to flood into the neighboring countries in Europe. Scarborough’s sources range, as he quotes highly positioned members from NATO and the CIA, while also investigating the not-so-long-ago terrorist attacks in Brussels, various in Berlin, and even here in the U.S. at San Bernardino and Orlando. However, most of the instances the author lists are primarily from Europe, where as an ISIL attacks that have occurred in the United States were more of inspired ones. Scarborough acknowledges this too. The author does not seem to take a position on what he believes in, but instead is completely factual and leaves such judgement up to readers. I believe this is an important source for my research topic because it is necessary to acknowledge the difference between any attacks carried out by ISIS themselves in other countries and ones that have been inspired by the group being carried out by irrational people from and living in those countries already. "State Department: U.S. Should Welcome Syrian Refugees." Time. Time, 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. This is an article published on Time Magazine Online dates back to the time period when former President Barack H. Obama was in office. In 2015, he had issued a plan to welcome approximately 10,000 refugees into the U.S. The text of the article itself provides informative statistics, such as that only 2% of Syrian refugees are teenage “fighting” males, while the other majority mainly consists of children and adults. This bit of information is important for my research because some argue that most Syrian refugees are young adult males. While the article is relatively small compared to the video that is also posted, it is still useful. The video expands on this information and dives into what the U.S. State Department of the country has to say about the crisis. Warren, Rossalyn. "Here Is The Long Route Many Refugees Take To Travel From Syria To Germany." BuzzFeed. Buzz Feed, 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. While taking a two to five mile hiking trip is common for some people, going through a journey of approximately 4,000 miles is a whole other completely different thing. That's what BuzzFeed writer Rossalyn Warren highlights in her article about the long, tedious trip Syrian refugees have to take in order to escape the conflict and bloodshed in their homeland. To make things convenient for readers, she lists out the journey in a nine point outline with visuals and maps that the refugees have to take to arrive in Germany. Some of the trip consists of walking through Turkey and Greece, but from there some have to take a boat to cut the rocky path and arrive at another point. It is also important to note that making the escape through a boat can also be highly risky as there have been instances where the boats were too full and capsized in sea, resulting in the drowning of some refugees as young as nine years of age. Warren lists out that as many as 2,500 have perished along in some of the paths for escaping. This source would only provide secondary knowledge into what most Syrian refugees have to complete to simply just have a chance to live in a peaceful region, something that most people take for granted. Outline: I. Introduction (1st page) (0.5 pages). a. (Opening sentence) Specify the most recent chemical attacks carried out in Syrian Civilians in April of 2017 by the Syrian Government. How many people have died? And what as the result of this? b. President Donald J. Trump’s latest executive order on the banning of specific persons from certain countries in the Middle East from entering the U.S. What are his goals with this order and how will this impact the American people and shape the country? c. (Cont’d) On the other hand, mention what progress the Islamic State has made in the Middle East as it continues to spread and the current state of the war in Syria. d. The result of the two points is that millions of Syrian individuals are displaced in between, attempting to seek asylum in neighboring countries, including various in Europe and the United States. e. In the United States, while most Americans are for assisting Syrian refugees and welcoming them in the country, many others are not. Many argue that letting them in risk significant chances of slipping terrorists disguising themselves inside. Mention the most recent events, such as the 2015 Paris Attacks, San Bernardino, or the Orlando Pulse Shooting that have shaken the public. Thus, it is a controversial subject that is rooted from fear and a mixture of some prejudice. f. Thesis Statement: One of the three samples, but most likely a mix between Version II and Version III (Finish) g. Transitioning sentence: To clearly know the world is looking at one of the biggest humanitarian crisis, one must first understand the civil war conflict in Syria that pushed millions to be displaced or to be dead. II. The Syrian Civil War (Background Information) (1.5th – 3rd page) (1. 5 pages). a. Start with the peaceful Arab demonstrations. Protesters that began crowding streets in Syria, criticizing President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Why were they doing this? What was President Al-Assad doing? (Mar 2011). b. President Al-Assad’s response: eliminating the protesters violently. What approach did he take in trying to silence them, and why? The outcome was an armed rebellion and a conflict. c. The primary forces consist of Al-Assad’s army and rebels, consisting of protesters that were firing back and portions of Al-Assad’s army that defected. The Free Syrian Army. The uprising is officially a civil war. d. The various involved groups now: Jihadists/Extremists being released and travelling to join the Free Syrian Army. Regional Powers enter to back up each side: Iran w/ Hezbollah, Russia, backing up Assad and Turkey, Jordan, U.S., Gulf States backing up rebels. Shia Powers and Sunni Powers. e. Chemical weapons utilized by Al-Assad on civilians (Aug 2013). Photographs men, women, and children's bodies lined up in dozens of rows, poisoned by the gas. f. The emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, ISIS (Feb 2014). Establishes caliphate in region, attack rebels and Kurds. ISIS becomes a bigger threat now. Russia steps in with airstrike (Sep 2015). g. The economic consequences the Syrian war has had on the Levant (World Bank Group Academic Source). What kind of destruction have historical sites, tourist attractions, and ancient cities endured? III. The Journey of Survival (3rd – 4.5th page) (1.5 pages). a. How have some people left the country during the escalation of the demonstrations? How many people were aware about a conflict coming about? b. What have ordinary, regular citizens in the country become of the war? Reactions? In what regions did the conflict start in, then spread out? How many innocent civilians, separate from rebels and other fighters, died? Millions becoming displaced, and are forced to escape the bloodshed from their homeland. For some, it was simply too late. c. The route to escape was and currently is complicated. Depending on what time period civilians started to flee in, some have ended up travelling much further than others and escaping to some form of safety quicker. d. Rossalyn Warren's article (BuzzFeed) as a source for the route many refugees have taken to travel to Germany. What are the dangers for such extreme journeys? And how long can it take? Is it safer to travel by land or partly through sea as well? How much money does it cost? e. A big majority of refugees settled through neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, and in some instances, as far as a few European countries, primarily Germany. f. What about individuals that have not escaped Syria? How long is it expected for one to survive in they remain in the country? What is the estimate of Syrians still trapped in the country? g. On the other hand, many other Syrians have instead settled into refugee camps closer to them, located near the Syrian Border in neighboring countries. Zach Ingrasc's and Chris Temple's documentary "Salam Neighbor". Quote from their experience and the people they encountered and interviewed. h. What are these camps like? How big are they, and what goes on in them? What do Syrians living in them expect to come? Why did they settle in these camps instead of travelling all the way to other countries far from the country? Where did these people come from and what are their stories? i. Arrival to some countries, facing denial. IV. War Time Psychological Consequences (4.5th – 6th page) (1.5 pages). a. The impact of displacement and the war on young ones. Adults are, in some ways, better at handling and absorbing violence that goes on around them. But what have children, old enough to become fully aware of their surroundings, come to think of all the conflict? Many children have witnessed the bombings of their homes and schools, killings of their friends and family members, and potentially even being separated. b. Jabbar & Zaza's research study source here on the consequences the Syrian war has had on children based in the Zaatari camp, coincidentally the same camp Ingrasc and Temple travelled to for their documentary. What are the behaviors the children are exhibiting? How many of them show signs of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other things? c. In other cases, what about any adults? What psychological effects have they undertaken? d. What are the chances of refugees committing suicide or exhibiting suicidal behavior as a result of traumatic, war-time experiences? e. On the other hand, do any Syrian refugees exhibit homicidal behavior? V. The Impact of Refugees in Countries (7th – 9th page) (2 pages). a. How have countries like Germany, Lebanon, Turkey, and other neighboring ones to Syria handled settling Syrian Refugees? When did the major flows start to happen? b. What harm or good have they done residing in these countries? What are the statistics, data, and experiences like? c. Germany’s dense population, a much smaller country– how many refugees have Germany and the other European countries taken in? Have they stopped? What are their remarks and examples for other countries in the world to also step in? d. A size of a country like the United States could certainly take in tons of refugees… VI. The American Fear of Syrian Refugees (10th- 12th page) (2 pages). a. The September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Not only have the literal and economic consequences of such a major terrorist attacked, but emotional. It has created two types of feelings in people, fear and hatred, against Muslims. b. How many individuals were victims of a sky-rocketed rise of Islamophobia weeks after September 11? For what reasons? Based on the assumptions Islam was a religion of terror, or that all Muslims were terrorists and had this agenda to go out for. c. What is the link between terrorists and refugees? Relatively low, if anything. Syrian Refugees primarily consist of women and children. If anything, the perpetrators behind September 11th were not refugees, but rather going undercover residing in the country. d. But ISIS, following their attack on Paris in 2015 and many others, including inspired ones carried out by radicalized individuals, still brings that fear to linger around. The false, fake refugee passports members of ISIS planted to also frame actual Syrian Refugees in need. e. How does ISIS view refugees? And vice-versa? f. What kind of other bigger threats are Americans more likely to be exposed to? Hate groups such as the KKK and Neo-Nazis, and to top it all off, gun-violence. g. How many Americans have been murdered as the result of gun-violence? A country where guns are heavily favored, have killed so many people and been the responsibility for various national attacks such as Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, and more. h. What other alternative options are there really? Let them be killed or join ISIS? Who is the much bigger threat here? i. I am not exactly saying we must take them all in, but that the U.S. should do their own fair share as many European countries are. VII. Conclusion (14.5th - 15th page) (0.5)
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