The Role of Academics as Refugee Policy Advocates: Lessons from Australia

A significant challenge faced by refugees, scholars and advocates is the achievement of policy change toward a humanitarian approach for asylum-seekers. This article examines the interconnectedness between academia and policy. Firstly, it provides a context for this advocacy. Secondly, it examines how and why academics seek to influence policy and how scholars assess their effectiveness. Thirdly, it interrogates how academics could be more effective while working alongside refugees and other advocates. In so doing, it presents Australia as a case study from which lessons can be learnt. It considers how scholars might engage with policymakers. It considers how scholars might engage with policymakers and provides considerations on the past and future of academic advocacy.