The zombification of refugees
a special issue of Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies

In the past few years, the world has witnessed an alarming growing refugee crisis. According to Amnesty International, in 2013 more than 50 million people around the globe were forced to leave their homes in Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan and other places where conflicts have reached their peak. More specifically, Syria may be the most exporting country of refugees since 2011. More than half of Syria’s population is now displaced nearly all over the world. Statistics reveal that four million women, men and children have fled the country and are refugees, making this one of the biggest refugee crises in history. The vast majority - 95% - are living in the countries neighboring Syria including Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.

In fact, many Europeans are now worried more than ever that the reception of hundreds and thousands of refugees –who come from the Middle East particularly –threatens the security of their nations. This fear, many observers contend, often lead to xenophobic attitudes from natives that lead in turn to terrorist attacks by those who are excluded. This exclusion has placed refugees and even immigrants –Arabs and Muslims in particular –in a marginal zone where they are dislocated from a global human race and represented as a threat to humanity. In this respect, researchers in the humanities note that the racial discrimination against refugees as a minority –especially when they are Arabs and Muslims–in international media and in world politics–has led to falsified and perverted characterizations of these human beings as bloody religious fanatics endangering world peace. Refugees, consequently, are being de-humanized, in-humanized and zombified for the simple fact that they are broadly perceived as a threat. Recent terrorist attacks in European cities have increased the phobia against refugees. They have also undermined the idea of a shared humanity.

We look for contributions for a special issue of Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies that attempt to understand, reflect upon and decipher the current global refugees crisis. More specifically, we seek original research papers, books reviews and interviews that may fall within one or more of the themes below:
- The refugees crisis as postcolonial
- The refugees crisis as a dehumanization of a minority
- The future of global humanism
- Criticizing/Praising Europe for hosting refugees who are ethnically and religiously different from White Christian Euope.

Papers and a short/abbreviated curriculum vitae should be sent to:

infojournals-of-scientifcs-rd.com