Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs to Co-Host “Palestinian Refugees in International Law” Book Launch with the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
November 1, New York — Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs, in collaboration with Fordham University Law School’s Leitner Center for International Law and Justice, will host the New York Book Launch of Palestinian Refugees in International Law on Tuesday, November 17 at 10:00 am EST.
Palestinian Refugees in International Law, co-authored by Lex Takkenberg and Francesca Albanese, builds on the seminal contribution of the first edition by Lex Takkenberg in 1998. In its updated version, this new work offers a clear and comprehensive analysis of the Palestinian refugee question resulting from the events surrounding the birth of the State of Israel seventy years ago, which remains one of the largest and most protracted refugee crises of the post-Second World War era. Numbering over six million in the Near East alone, Palestinian refugee’s status varies considerably according to the state or territory ‘hosting’ them, the UN agency assisting them, and political circumstances surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict these refugees are naturally associated with. Despite being foundational to both the experience of the Palestinian refugees and the resolution to their plight, international law is often sidelined in political discussions concerning their fate.
In their new book, the authors address the Palestinian refugee question in light of various areas of international law, shedding light on: the distinctive regime set up for them, their status and rights (as refugees, often stateless persons, protected at times of war and internal displacement) but also their actual treatment in about fifty countries. It ultimately probes the relevance of international norms to the provision of international protection for Palestinian refugees and their quest for durable solutions.
During the New York Book Launch, authors Francesca Albanese and Lex Takkenberg will join Brendan Cahill, Executive Director of the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs, and Elisabeth Wickeri, Executive Director of Leitner Center for International Law and Justice, to discuss Palestinian Refugees in International Law Tuesday, November 17 at 10:00am.
Register for this event here.
About the Authors:
Francesca P. Albanese is a Research Affiliate for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), Georgetown University and Visiting Scholar, at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Studies Policies and International Affairs, American University of Beirut. She is an international lawyer specialized in human rights and refugee issues in the Arab world. She has 15 years of professional experience, working with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Union (electoral assistance), UN Development Programme, and NGOs (protection, human rights). Albanese received her LL.B (Hons.) at Pisa University, and her LL.M (Human Rights) at SOAS University. Together with Lex Takkenberg, she is the author of The Status of Palestinian Refugees in International Law (OUP, 2020).
Dr. Lex Takkenberg has worked with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from 1989 until late 2019 and is currently a freelance lecturer and consultant. He is the former Chief of the UNRWA Ethics Office. Prior to that, he held positions including UNRWA’s General Counsel, (agency-wide) Director of Operations, and (Deputy) Field Director in Gaza and Syria. Before joining UNRWA, he was the Legal Officer of the Dutch Refugee Council for six years. A law graduate from the University of Amsterdam, he obtained a Doctorate in International Law from the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
About the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice:
The Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School is an innovative Think-and-Do Tank that aims to make international human rights protections an everyday reality for marginalized communities around the world; as a hands-on advocacy team housed in a world-class university, we provide education and training to law students, facilitate capacity building and advocacy with activists and grassroots groups around the world, and contribute to critical research among legal scholars in international human rights. Follow the Leitner Center at @Leitnercenter on all platforms of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for news, updates and events.
About the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs:
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) prepares current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in times of humanitarian crisis and disaster. Our courses are borne of an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic theory with the practical experience of seasoned humanitarian professionals. The IIHA also publishes on a wide range of humanitarian topics and regularly hosts a number of events in the New York area, including the annual Humanitarian Design for Humanity Summit.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact: Camille Giacovas, Communications & Research Officer, cgiacovas@fordham.edu
