Reluctant Reception

Reviews / Votes

'Norman makes a convincing case for rethinking and retheorizing the role of so-called 'transit countries' ... Introducing the concept of 'strategic indifference', and constructing a detailed comparison based on a wealth of original fieldwork, Norman demonstrates why governments of the Global South ... should be viewed as central and intentional actors in a complex relationship between them, the migrants, and the many international organizations involved in migration and refugee governance.' Laurie Brand, University of Southern California 'In Reluctant Reception, Norman gives us an in-depth look at how Turkey and countries in the Middle East and North Africa are coping with increasingly large and settled populations of migrants and refugees. Anyone seeking to understand the volatile politics of migration in the region must read this book.' James F. Hollifield, Southern Methodist University 'Norman advances a novel and insightful argument about refugee and migrant accommodation in the Global South. While most literature focuses on host society acceptance or rejection of migrants, Norman argues for a third option, 'strategic indifference'. The book's arguments are supported by excellent elite interviews and case studies of Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey.' Amaney A. Jamal, Princeton University 'This easily accessible volume presents a sophisticated and nuanced theoretical argument and is a major contribution to the literature on migration.' H. Shambayati, Choice