Career

Professor of International Migration, Swansea University (2009- )

Senior Lecturer, Swansea University (2006-2009)

Director, AMRE Consulting Ltd (2004-2006)

Associate Director, Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) (2002-2004)

Principal Research Officer, Immigration Research and Statistics Service, UK Home Office (2000-2002)

Freelance research consultant / policy analyst (1997-2000) 

Research interests

My research interests are primarily in the area of public policy relating to forced migration, asylum and different forms of international migration (in particular labour migration and family-related migration) at the local, national, and international levels. I am also interested in the implications of diversity (in particular race and ethnicity, gender and childhood) for social justice and the ability of different groups to access resources (in particular legal rights, welfare support, housing and the labour market). Recent and current projects are primarily in the following areas:

Asylum and immigration policy and practice in the UK and Europe

My particular interests lie in the causes of forced migration and the disconnect between the realities of international migration and the efforts of States to construct physical, legal and welfare barriers to the arrival of forced migrants. This has led me to focus in some considerable depth on the procedures for asylum determination (asylum interviews, country of origin information, legal advice and representation), the conceptualisation of the refugee experience through law and policy, and the implications of these processes for the ability of different groups to access protection and the mechanisms of integration.

Gender issues in the asylum determination process

I have a long-standing interest in the conceptualisation of gender in the asylum determination process and am a founder member of the Refugee Women’s Legal Group, with whom I produced Gender Guidelines for the Determination of Asylum Claims in the UK, which were subsequently adopted by the Immigration Appellate Authorities (now AIT) and incorporated into the Home Office’s asylum policy instructions to caseworkers. I have also undertaken comparative research looking at developments across Europe in the context of harmonisation and the various EU Directives on asylum procedures.

The conceptualisation of childhood in UK immigration policy and practice

Over recent years I have become increasingly interested in the conceptualisation of childhood in UK immigration policy and practice. This interest is motivated in part by the increasingly apparent contradiction between the Government’s policies towards children in the UK generally (as reflected in the framework of Every Child Matters and government commitments towards the eradication of child poverty), and policy and practice in relation to children who are subject to immigration control. Recent research includes three projects for the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), funded by the Nuffield Foundation, and in-depth qualitative research for Save the Children on the detention of children for the purpose of immigration control. I have recently been appointed (with Professor Ravi Kohli, University of Bedfordshire) as an external evalutor for the Scottish Seperated Children Guardianship Pilot.

Public and political attitudes towards asylum and immigration issues

There is growing evidence that public policy in the politically sensitive area of asylum and immigration is driven by what are often ill-informed and prejudicial public attitudes. Reflecting this, much of my recent research has focused on developing a better understanding of the factors (social, economic, political, racial) that underlie public and political attitudes towards asylum and immigration issues and the relationship between these attitudes and evidence-based policy making. I have undertaken research with the IPPR, Centre for Migration Policy and Society (COMPAS), the Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Diana, Pricess of Wales Memorial Fund on attitudes towards asylum and migration issues and on developing the principles of a progressive approach to migration that can form the basis of positive public and political narratives in this area.

Select publications

Crawley, H. (2010) 'No one gives you a chance to say what you are thinking’: finding space for children’s agency in the UK asylum system',   Area 42(2), 162-9

Crawley, H (2010) Chance or Choice? Understanding why asylum seekers come to the UK,  London: Refugee Council

Crawley, H. and Crimes, T. (2009) Refugees Living in Wales: A Survey of Skills, Experiences and Barriers to Inclusion, Swansea: Centre for Migration Policy Research  Refugees Living in Wales - English pdf   Refugees Living in Wales - Welsh pdf

Crawley, H. (2009)  ‘The Situation of Children in Immigrant Families in the United Kingdom’, Innocenti Working Paper No. 2009-18, Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre

Crawley, H. (2009) Understanding and Changing Public Attitudes: A Review of Existing Evidence from public Information and Communication Campaigns, London: The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

Crawley, H. (2009) ‘Between a rock and a hard place – negotiating age and identity in the UK asylum system’,  in N. Thomas (ed) Children, Politics and Communication: Participation at the Margins: Bristol: Policy Press

Crawley, H (2007) When is a Child Not a Child? Asylum, Age Disputes and the Process of Age Assessment, London: ILPA,

Crawley, H (2006) 'Forced migration and the politics of asylum: the missing pieces of the international migration puzzle?', International Migration 44 (1): 21-26

Crawley, H (2006) Towards a Progressive Approach to Migration: A Discussion Paper, London: Barrow Cadbury Trust

Crawley, H (2006) Child First, Migrant Second: Ensuring that Every Child Matters, London: ILPA,

Crawley, H (2005) ‘Evidence on attitudes to asylum and immigration: What we know, don’t know and need to know’, COMPAS Working Paper No. 23, Oxford: University of Oxford

Crawley, H (2005) ‘The UK, the EU and Forced Migration’, in RSC Developing DFID’s Policy Approach to Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons - A Research Consultancy by the Refugee Studies Centre for the Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department (DFID), Oxford: University of Oxford

Crawley, H and Lester, T (2005) No Place for a Child: Children in Immigration Detention in the UK – Impacts, Alternatives and Safeguards, London: Save the Children UK

Crawley, H (2004) Working with Children and Young People subject to Immigration Control : Guidelines for Best Practice London: ILPA

Crawley, H and Lester, T (2004) Comparative analysis of gender-related persecution in national asylum legislation and practice in Europe, Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit Evaluation Report EPAU/2004/05, Geneva: UNHCR

Crawley, H (2004) Moving Forward: The Provision of Accommodation for Travellers and Gypsies London: IPPR

Morgan, B, Gelsthorpe, V, Crawley, H and Jones, G.A., (2003) Country of Origin Information: A User and Content Evaluation, Home Office Research Study 271 London: Home Office

Gelsthorpe, V, Thomas, R, Howard, D and Crawley, H (2003) Family Visitor Appeals: An Evaluation of the Decision to Appeal and Success Rates by Appeal Type, Home Office Online Report 26/03 London: Home Office

Castles, S, Crawley, H and Loughna, S (2003) States of Conflict: Causes and Patterns of Forced Migration to the EU and Policy Responses London: IPPR

Crawley, H (2001) Refugees and Gender: Law and Process Bristol: Jordan Publishing

Crawley, H (2000) ‘Engendering the state in refugee women’s claims to asylum’ in R. Jacobson et al (eds.) States of Conflict: Gender, Violence and Resistance London: Zed Books

Crawley, H (1999) Breaking Down the Barriers: A Report on the Conduct of Asylum Interviews at Ports, London: Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)

Crawley, H (1999) ‘Women and refugee status; beyond the public/private dichotomy in UK asylum policy’ in D. Indra (ed.) Engendering Forced Migration: Theory and Practice, Refugee and Forced Migration Series Volume 5 Oxford: Berghahn Books

Crawley, H (1997) Women as Asylum Seekers: A Legal Handbook London: Refugee Women’s Legal Group, ILPA and Refugee Action

Additional published research

In addition to authored publications, I have contributed to the following research reports published by governmental and non-governmental organisations:

Institute for Public Policy Research (2005) Asylum: Understanding Public Attitudes, London: IPPR

Home Office (2005) The Role of Early Legal Advice in Asylum Applications, Online Report 06/05, London: Home Office,

Greater London Authority (GLA) (2004) Young Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Greater London: Vulnerability to Problematic Drug Use  London: GLA

Institute for Public Policy Research (2004) Race Equality: The Benefits for Responsible Business – Report of the Task Force on Race Equality and Diversity in the Private Sector, London: IPPR

National Audit Office (2004) Visa Entry to the United Kingdom The Entry Clearance Operation, Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General HC 367 Session 2003-2004, London: Stationary Office

National Audit Office (NAO) (2004) Improving the Speed and Quality of Asylum Decisions, Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, HC 535 Session 2003-4, London: Stationary Office

Home Office (2001) Bridging the Information Gaps: A Conference of Research on Asylum and Immigration in the UK London: Home Office

RWLG (1998) Gender Guidelines for the Determination of Asylum Claims in the UK, London: RWLG

ECRE (1997) Position Paper on Refugee and Asylum Seeking Women, London: ECRE

Specialist and advisory roles

June 2010 (ongoing)  Member of ILPA Refugee Children Project Advisory Board

June 2010 (ongoing)   Member of COMPAS Undocumented Migrant Children in the UK Project Advisory Board

May 2010 (ongoing)  Independent evaluator for Scottish Separated Children Guardianship Pilot (Scottish Refugee Council / Aberlour Trust)

January 2010 (ongoing)  Trustee, London Refugee Voice

November 2010   Patron, Baobab Centre for Young Survivors in Exile

February 2007 - Oct 2008     Member of the ippr's Migration, Equalities and Citizenship Team Advisory Group

December 2006 - December 2008   Trustee, Welsh Refugee Council

August 2005 - August 2008 National Adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Bradford Research and Development Programme (BRAD)

June 2004 - Oct 2008  Senior Research Associate, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS), Oxford University

November 2006-September 2007   Specialist adviser to the Joint Commitee on Human Rights (JCHR) inquiry into the treatment of asylum seekers

November 2005 - June 2006    Specialist adviser to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Commitee inquiry into immigration control