Research guide on internal displacement

The aim of this research guide is to give an introduction to some of the main debates regarding internal displacement. Although the guide concentrates on conflict induced internal displacement, causes of internal displacement are extremely complex and the displacement of populations due to environmental change, natural disasters, and development projects is often interlinked with and simultaneous to conflicts causing the forced movement of people (Banerjee et al. 2005, Birkeland 2003a,b, Cernea and McDowell 2000, Haug 2003, Lund 2003, Muggah 2003, Qadem 2005).

It is easy when discussing internal displacement to fall into an instrumental language and deal only with concepts, definitions and categories. This research guide aims to summarise the challenge of internal displacement at a policy level, but also to address its social consequences and explore the experiences of many internally displaced persons (IDPs) of physical dislocation, separation from everyday practices and familiar environments, social disruption and material dispossession.