The Difference a Market Makes: The Case of Syrian Refugee Camps in Jordan
A refugee camp is a place of harsh contradictions – one that is temporary yet protracted, vast yet overcrowded, and fluctuating yet stagnant. A place for the displaced, but where they are hijacked of their basic means of living.
While humans are instinctively resilient and will fight through the adversities a camp brings, their relative ease in adapting to the trying environment depends on certain life-sustaining elements. In the case of Jordan’s two main camps for Syrian refugees, economic activity has been a critical factor. The existence of a marketplace (and lack thereof) has been shaped by –and in turn, helped shape – the two noticeably contrasting ecosystems of Zaatari and Azraq Camp, in addition to making a significant difference in peoples’ ability to “settle in”.
