Are There Really No Refugees in the GCC States? Establishing a Basis for Further Research

Abstract

The GCC states, all with large migrant populations are often seen as states without refugees. None are party to the Refugee Convention –– and hence not bound by international legal definitions of refugees. With few exceptions, refugees are absent in research on the GCC states –– and the GCC states are equally absent in research on refugees. This article argues that there is a high number of de facto refugees in these states, and a lack of recognition contributes to “invisibilizing” these –– despite the challenges brought about due to their situation as de facto refugees. A reorientation is required. This implies a new understanding of who is in fact a refugee in the GCC states, and further to center these in any future research on the topic. This article is a first attempt at establishing a broader understanding of GCC states’ response to refugee situations through a discussion of historical and contemporary cases representing potential avenues for further research. Importantly, this is not done through a normative argument of refugee response in these states vis-à-vis other states, but rather by de-exceptionalzing refugee response in the GCC states and centering those present seeking refuge in order to better understand the realities influencing refugee lives.