Rimpatrio volontario: una prospettiva sociale nella regione africana dei Grandi Laghi.

The voluntary repatriation is a disputed topic; several authors have recently addressed this topic and explained the positive and the negative aspects of the repatriation phenomenon. In the text I highlight how the concept of repatriation is related to the studies of the refugees’ issues resolutions. Indeed, I underline how the 1951 UN Convention marks the shift from Refugees Studies to Forced Migration Studies. I also try to understand when the voluntariness of the repatriation begins to be understood, and how in reality in some cases the process was not a free choice. By the way, the voluntary repatriation is the preferred tool to solve the refugee’s related problems within a hosting country. In the light of that, I wanted to deeply analyse the social implications of the return process, in addition to underline some positive and negative aspects of the involvement of the Western countries and international organisations. My work analyses the concept of repatriation itself, in addition to, underlining which are the major effects that it triggers within the social environment. Furthermore, this work seeks to be a continuation of the thesis that I have written for my previous graduation. I have always been concerned about the refugees’ situation, about the reasons behind their need to leave their home country, in addition to the processes that characterise their return to home.