Host Cities

How Refugees Are Transforming the World's Urban Settings

A revealing study of how the arrival of refugees affects and transforms cities

Cities all over the world experience large humanitarian influxes, and refugees and citizens alike must navigate the related risks and opportunities. Over the past 25 years, Karen Jacobsen has studied the interaction of refugees and cities and has trained scores of graduate students, many of whom now work with United Nations agencies or humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. Her research team at Tufts and this global network of aid workers give her firsthand knowledge of the impact of forced migration on cities and the lives of refugees living there.

Focusing on cities and refugees in Africa and the Middle East, Jacobsen draws universal lessons, distilling her research findings and wisdom from decades of experience into clear, vivid prose. The book is valuable for researchers, policy analysts, donors, and humanitarian workers in cities around the globe, and for all listeners trying to understand, beyond the headlines, one of the most troubling and volatile issues of our time.

©2025 Karen Jacobsen (P)2026 Tantor Media