Who Are Refugees and Migrants? What Makes People Leave Their Homes?

A much needed look behind the headlines raising questions which will help young people think deeply and constructively about what is happening in the world today.

Throughout the book, readers are encouraged to think about many issues around migration, why people become refugees and how they are treated and received. The questions focus on forming opinions around both response at a personal everyday level and what readers would do if they were in positions of power and influence. At the end of the book, there is a final challenging question ‘Do you think it’s fair to restrict migration of people while the migration of money and bombs is allowed?’, making it clear that the movement of people is very much related to global power structures.

Included are many personal accounts from people who have been migrants and/or refugees themselves or whose recent ancestors moved for a variety of reasons. These include the book’s authors, some well-known figures such as Benjamin Zephaniah and a wide range of individuals from different countries and backgrounds, most of whom have become significant campaigners and contributors to society.

In quite a short book, readers gain insight into many different personal experiences, historical and current facts about migration and ideas that will aid the formation of opinions, making this an effective source book for teachers wanting to stimulate discussion about refugees and migration with children and young people. The text ranges wide, making readers think about the language that gets used, the meanings that it can mask, and in particular the interpretation of the term ‘culture’.

Other books in this series include:

Claire Heuchan and Nikesh Shukla: What is Race? Who Are Racists? Why Does Skin Colour Matter? And Other Big Questions (9781526303998), Wayland £9.99