The Scope and Role of Membership of a Particular Social Group as the Reason for Persecution in the Refugee Definition

Abstract

The article consists of four parts. The first introductory part presents purpose, object, methodology of the analysis and the two conflicting approaches to the interpretation of "particular social group" as the main problem to be examined. The second part of the article explores the travaux preparatoires of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees concerning the category of "particular social group". In the third part of the article three famous cases in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom with the following debate in refugee law scholarship providing the interpretations of the category of "particular social group" are examined. The fourth part proposes the role of membership of a particular social group as the reason for persecution in the refugee definition and follows the recent developments of international standards in this field.