The post-Cold War era has left the refugee in a state of uncertainty. Refugee policy is now being reinterpreted in the light of countervailing forces in contemporary world politics. On the one hand is the growing security agenda, an agenda that at times gives states a cover for contracting out of their obligations towards refugees; on the other is the sovereignty as responsibility discourse, evidenced in the intervention of states on behalf of refugees and others in need of assistance. How can the pluralism–solidarism tension be balanced so that these two competing interests are taken into consideration when seeking responses to the refugee and refugee policy? This chapter first assesses the current position of the refugee in between the security agenda and the responsibility to protect agenda. It then suggests some ways to move forward with refugee policy. Last, it draws together the themes and findings of this book to analyse the value of the conceptual and historical approach for contemporary refugee policy.

The effects of the security agenda

Whereas during the Cold War threats to states were largely of a military nature, now they have become radically different.