Over the past ten years, global refugee education policy has shifted towards a model of inclusion such that refugees are integrated into national systems. Following the influx of Syrian refugees in 2011, the Government of Jordan adapted this inclusive model of education whereby refugees attend Jordanian schools, study the Jordanian curriculum from Jordanian teachers, often alongside Jordanian students. While this model of integration is upheld for its promise of providing high quality education to all students, the experiences of refugee students tell a different story. In this presentation, I will explore the experiences of refugee students from varying national backgrounds, with a focus on their sense of belonging at the local and national level. I will highlight the ways that refugee youth navigate and negotiate their belonging and point to the uneven outcomes of the inclusive refugee education policy.

Dr Cohen’s research centers on understanding the educational experiences of students and teachers in areas of crisis and conflict, with a focus on refugees and forced migrants in the Middle East. She is particularly interested in understanding the ways that policies are adapted, negotiated and implemented by educators and how that, in turn, impacts students’ learning. Cohen has conducted research and applied work with students and educators in Jordan, Morocco, the United States, India and Myanmar. She holds a PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota, a MA in International Educational Development from Columbia University Teachers College, and a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University.

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