REFUGEE OR ECONOMIC MIGRANT?
In The Quota all participants will be asked to decide if the character they portray is a Refugee or an Economic Migrant. It is an important choice and one that we the designers think is important that all players fully understand before making their decision.
The media and much of the ongoing social commentary about migration will often conflate these two groups. It is important to understand that they are two very different groups with different motivations for leaving their home countries, and who face different struggles and barriers to entry to new counties, although the opposition and discrimination they face is often very similar.
Refugees
The 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defined the status of “Refugee” to be applicable to any individual who:
"owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it." (Article 1.A.2, UN 1951 Refugee Convention)
This definition is still used as the European Union minimum standards definition, although protection is also granted for other displaced individuals who would face the death penalty, torture or other inhuman or degrading treatments if returned to their country of origin. (Art. 2 (c), 2(e) and 15 of Directive No. 2004/83/EC)
Economic Migrants
An economic migrant is any individual who travels from their home area or country to another area or country to seek employment and who has received legal permission, usually in the form of a visa or a work permit, to work in another country. Economic migrants often travel to other areas or countries in order to improve their standard of living because the living standards or job opportunities in their home country or area are not sufficient.
The UN uses the term “Migrant worker” to describe any worker who has applied for and received the legal right to work in a country other than their home country. (International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 1990)
Participant Experience
The experience of a refugee character versus an economic migrant character will be different. For an economic migrant the result of being refused entry to Wales will be the frustration of their dreams and hopes for the future.For a refugee in this larp being sent back to their country of origin could lead to imprisonment or death.
For The Quota, characters who are seeking to apply for refugee status will be fleeing some form of persecution or specific threat to their lives, or their family’s lives. The Quota will not being using themes of discrimination on the grounds of t race, sexual orientation, gender, faith or disability - please see our inclusivity page for more information on this policy. Therefore, refugee status within the game will be sought on the basis of persecution of those who -- through lifestyle or political activism -- are deemed antisocial and a drain on the state. We will work with participants to offer information and coaching to find and explore suitable options.
In The Quota, participants can choose to portray characters who have chosen to travel to Wales to apply for migrant worker status. The specific motivations of their travel are up to the participant, although many will be centered around job opportunity or standard of living improvements, more personal reasons are also valid as motivations for characters.