Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-235) and index.

Introduction -- The history of refugees and development -- Refugee e conomies -- Research methodology -- Urban areas -- Protracted refugee c amps -- Emergency refugee camps -- The role of innovation -- The role o f business -- Conclusion -- Appendix A: regressions on income -- Append ix B: regressions on urban-rural selection.

Refugees have rarely been studied by economists. Despite some pionee ring research on the economic lives of refugees, there remains a lack o f theory and empirical data through which to understand, and build upon , refugees' own engagement with markets. Yet, understanding these econo mic systems may hold the key to rethinking our entire approach to refug ee assistance. If we can improve our knowledge of the resource allocati on systems that shape refugees' lives and opportunities, then we may be able to understand the mechanisms through which these market-based sys tems can be made to work better and turn humanitarian challenges into s ustainable opportunities. This book adopts an inter-disciplinary approa ch, based on original qualitative and quantitative data on the economic life of refugees, in order to begin to build theory on the economic li ves of refugees. It focuses on the case of Uganda because it represents a relatively positive case. Unlike other governments in the region, it has taken the positive step to allow refugees the right to work and a significant degree of freedom of movement through it so-called 'Self-Re liance Strategy'. This allows a unique opportunity to explore what is p ossible when refugees have basic economic freedoms. The book shows that refugees have complex and varied economic lives, often being highly en trepreneurial and connected to the global economy. The implications are simple but profound: far from being an inevitable burden, refugees hav e the capacity to help themselves and contribute to their host societie s - if we let them.