Hind Alshoubaki

Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, 

D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara,

Italy

hind.alshoubaki@unich.it

The fragility in the land of refugees: Jordan and irrepressible phenomenon of refugee camps

Lucio Zazzara

Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, 

D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara,

Italy

Lucio.zazzara@unich.it

Abstract. Refugee camps are complex systems in which very light structures are transforming into permanent cities with very deteriorated urban qualities, services, and infrastructures, producing a fragile environment. However, no previous study has assessed the fragility in refugee camps, often because of the lack of appropriate quantitative indicators to be adopted. Consequently, in this paper, we aimed to fill this gap by developing a fragility index for refugee camps by determining a set of quantitative indicators that could be applied to any refugee camp in the world. The proposed indicators are linked to track four types of fragility: sociopolitical, economic, educational, and health system fragility in refugee camps. In this study, we tracked the risks in 15 refugee camps in Jordan that accommodate Palestinian and Syrian refugees. We developed the schematic diagram for the fragility factors based on the analytical thinking approach and comparative analysis within the United Nations humanitarian organization camp planning standards and the descriptive analysis for the fragility indicators dataset. Therefore, classifying the fragility of refugee camps based on these risks creates a concrete means for planners to determine the most critical risks, to diminish their impacts, and to attain resilience.

Received: May, 2019

1st Revision: October, 2019

Accepted: February, 2020

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2020/13-1/8

JEL Classification: R23, R58

Keywords: fragility, refugee camp, resilience, risk