In August of 2008, open warfare erupted between the Republic of Georgia, on one side, and on the other side the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia, along with its Russian patrons. The war, which lasted only five days and took place in a small, little-known country, was quickly forgotten by most in the West. But within the Republic of Georgia, the war displaced tens of thousands, creating a lasting internal refugee crisis, and this on top of the previously existing refugees from Georgia’s earlier wars, in the early 1990s, with the self-declared republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

No Path Home examines the experiences of these refugees as they were uprooted, relocated and run through the confusing, opaque processes of the humanitarian aid apparatus. The book will be published by Cornell University Press in 2017.

Bringing my research to a wide public audience is an essential part of my work.   Using vivid imagery and clear language, I bring essential contemporary issues to life in long-form journalism.

|Public media written by me:

The Failure of Refugee Camps: An article for Boston Review on why trying to contain displaced people in permanently temporary camps has led to a refugee crisis.

Better Than a Tent, Worse Than a House: A piece for Slate on why Ikea's new flat-pack shelters won't solve the refugee problem.

Pence Used Attacks as Political Bogeyman:  There's no reason to be afraid of Syrian refugees.

A Gift from the American People: Creative nonfiction for the Iowa Review, on the bittersweetness of life in exile.

Refugee Protection and Resettlement: In this essay for Science Magazine, I talk about what refugees need to restart their lives---and why international humanitarian aid can't provide it.

Articles about my work in wide-circulation media:

Three Reasons Why Humanitarian Aid Fails:  In this interview with Science magazine, I argue that lack of communication, not treating displaced people as individuals, and sending people stuff they just don't need top the list.

La carcel invisible de los refugiados: An article about my work and the crisis of humanitarian aid from SINC, a Spanish news agency.

Der Krise in der Fluchtlingkrise: An article about my work and the European refugee crisis from Berlin's Die Zeit.

Global Refugee Crisis Overwhelms Humanitarian System:  A Los Angeles Times article based on an interview with me.

IU Professor Says Syrian Conflict Could Have Widespread Scope:  An interview with me on Bloomington's WFIU public radio.

IU Media About My Work:

Refugees' stories are shared...:  An article about a panel at IU's School for Global and International Affairs.  I'm proud of this one, because it mentions three of my amazing students.