The Dictionary of Human Geography

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automatic or unthinking reaction to events.

Commentary on reflexivity and the situated-

ness of knowledge is not new, though the

vocabulary of such commentary may have

changed. In 1963 English surrealist painter

Conroy Maddox (Levy, 2003) produced

‘The Theorist’ (see figure), an oil painting

suggesting a particular attitude of mind, the

figure almost sculptured into the armchair, at

one remove from the external world, whose

relationship to that world is suggested by the

scissors forming the face. Maddox offers a

picture of a situatedinstrumentalist, with

theory a device through which the world can

be accounted for, itemized, cut-up. Maddox’s

image of the theorist personifies an outlook on

the world that has been the target of those

concerned to emphasize reflexivity, and the

situatedness of knowledge. In keeping with

surrealism’s interest in the unconscious,

Maddox captures a certain image of a theoret-

ical unconscious, whereby one whose work is

defined bytheoryrisks their mind being col-

onized by indoorabstraction. Maddox might

have found it ironic that reflexivity can itself

on occasion be couched through abstract

theoretical language. dmat

Suggested reading

Rose (1997).

refugees The term ‘refugee’ is widely used

in popular culture, legal circles and humanitar-

ian emergencies. Broadly speaking, it means

people who have been involuntarily displaced

from theirhomesand dispossessed of their

livelihoods, normally without the protection of

their own government. The media often refer

to environmental refugees displaced from their

land by soil erosion over time, economic

refugees fleeing conditions of poverty in their

home countries, or even refugees as people

within the borders of their home country dis-

placed by natural disasters (e.g. Hurricane

Katrina in the American South in 2005).

In international humanitarian law, how-

ever, the term ‘refugee’ is more precise. It

refers to people from one country who flee

political persecution orviolenceto seekasy-

lumin another country. The political perse-

cution and exodus of the Protestant

Huguenots from France during the late seven-

teenth century is often described as the first

modern refugee movement. Since then, refu-

gee movements have been related topost-

colonialgeographies (e.g. thepartitionof

Pakistan from India in 1947),cold wargeo-

politics between rival superpowers and their

allies (e.g. Cubans in the USA), geo-economic

conflict related to land andresources, and

warsofnationalismand independence.

Since the mass displacement of people in

Europe during the Second World War, the

concept of ‘refugee’ has taken on particular

legal meanings. The 1945 United Nations

Charter outlines a framework for the provision

of political and legal protection to refugees,

displaced persons and other vulnerable

groups. In 1951, the Convention Relating

to the Status of Refugees was drafted; it came

into effect in 1954. Along with the 1967

Protocol, these legal instruments represent

the pillars of international refugee law. The

1951 Convention definition includes anyone

who ‘. .. as a result of events occurring before

1 January 1951 and owing to well-founded

fear of being persecuted for reasons ofrace,

religion, nationality, membership of a par-

ticular social group or political opinion, is out-

side the country of his [sic] nationality and is

unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to

avail himself of the protection of that country;

or who, not having a nationality and being

outside the country of his former habitual resi-

dence as a result of such events, is unable or,

owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.’

While 147 nations are party to either the

1951 Convention or its 1967 Protocol (see

below), it remains both explicitly and impli-

citly Eurocentric (seeeurocentrism). From

its conception, the Convention clearly demar-

cated geographical and historical limits. It

was designed to apply to refugeesineurope

displaced by events that occurredprior to 1951.

The Convention is characterized by its

Eurocentric focus and strategic conceptualiza-

tion. The Convention definition of refugee is

spatially coded as European. Substantively, its

Conroy Maddox, The Theorist, 1963, oil on board &

scissors, 2430 in., 6176 cm., Ferens Art

Gallery, Hull City Museums and Art Galleries

(Levy, 2003)

Gregory / The Dictionary of Human Geography 9781405132879_4_R-new Final Proof page 628 2.4.2009 9:12pm

REFUGEES