Camps vs. Self-settled refugees? A comparative analysis of syrian refugees’ Settlement in Jordan and Lebanon

International audienceSINCE the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, over 5 million refugees settled in neighbouring countries. While Lebanon refuses to open new official refugee camps, Jordan and Turkey has adopted a different perspective. Several new refugee camps have been created at their borders with Syria. However, at a regional level, less than 20% of the registered refugees reside in camps. This chapter aims to present a comparative analysis of the settlement process of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The respective role of settlement policies developed both by states and international organisations will be analysed in relation to the refugees’ own settlement strategies. How do refugees adapt to policy and socioeconomic constraints in different contexts? What is the role of kinship and previous transnational networks (based on labour migration, religious affiliation, etc.) in shaping forms of gatherings at a local level in host states