Courtland Robinson

Assoc Prof Courtland Robinson

Associate Professor
Institution: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Current Institution Location: United States of America

Email: court.robinson@jhu.edu
Phone Number:  410-955-3892

Address:
615 North Wolfe Street, Room E1844, Baltimore, MD 21205

Migration Health Research Area/Expertise
I have worked in the refugee field since 1979, with positions in the United States (Indochina Refugee Action Center and the US Committee for Refugees) and internationally (Save the Children, World Education, Mercy Corps and the Asian Research Center for Migration). Since 1998, I have been at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where I received my PhD in Demography and am now an Associate Professor in the Department of International Health (with a joint appointment in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health) and core faculty in the Center for Humanitarian Health. My research interests focus on populations in migration, whether displaced by conflict, natural disaster or widespread human rights abuse; or in the context of migrant labor and human trafficking (especially trafficking into forced labor). Interests include: Population-based surveys and population estimation of marginalized and mobile groups, measuring impact of migration and displacement on physical and mental health; mortality studies applying demographic principles in field settings; access to health care and health systems among displaced and migrant populations; operations research in complex emergency and crisis settings; and health policy for migrants, refugees, displaced persons and survivors of human trafficking. Recent research and projects focus on estimation of North Korean refugee populations in China (including estimating population size and vulnerability characteristics of children born to North Korean mothers in China); developing models to estimate numbers of unaccompanied and separated children in emergencies; and estimating prevalence of human trafficking among Burmese displaced populations in Thailand.

Research Focus/Expertise on Relevant Migrant Categories
Internal Migration
Internally displaced persons (Children, Adolescents, Adults)
Left-behind migrant families (Children, Adolescents)
Migrant Workers (Adults)

International/Cross-Border Migration
Asylum seekers (Children, Adolescents, Adults)
Human trafficking (Adults)
Humanitarian entrants/ Refugee resettlement programs (Adults)
Refugees (Children, Adolescents, Adults)
Family Reunification (Children, Adolescents, Adults)

Relevant Publications

Title Author Year Published Link to Publication
Tsunami mortality estimation and vulnerability mapping in Aceh, Indonesia S Doocy, Y Gorokovich, G Burnham, D Balk, C Robinson
The Right to Health and Basic Services C Robinson
Intractability and Change in Crisis Migrations: North Koreans in China and Burmese in Thailand C Robinson
Health on the Move: Children and Adolescents in Displacement C Robinson
Estimating Labor Trafficking: A Case Study of Burmese Migrant Workers in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand C Robinson, C Branchini
Measuring Impact: A Cross-Sectional Multi-Stage Cluster Survey to Assess the Attainment of Durable Solutions in Posts-Tsunami Aceh, Indonesia C Lee, S Doocy, A Deli, W Weiss, T Kirsch, C Robinson

Relevant Projects

Title Year Published Region/Country Role in the Project Main Outcome Link to Study Reports and publications
Estimating Trafficking of Myanmar Women for Forced Marriage and Child-bearing in China Asia and the Pacific
China
Myanmar
Principal Investigator To estimate the prevalence of trafficking of women and girls from Myanmar (specifically Kachin State and Shan State) into China for forced marriage, as well as to improve the field’s understanding of the trafficking patterns and networks, risk and protective factors
Child Marriages in Emergency Contexts Asia and the Pacific
Myanmar
East Africa
Ethiopia
Middle East and North Africa
Lebanon
Co-Investigator To collect data on child marriage rates in emergencies, and evaluate outcomes of existing child marriage interventions, to provide the humanitarian community with evidence-based approaches to prevent and respond to child marriage in emergencies
Assessing Anti-Trafficking Initiatives in Thailand Asia and the Pacific
Thailand
Principal Investigator To conduct an assessment of Thailand’s initiatives to counter human trafficking, through key informant interviews (KIIs) with Thai and U.S. government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN and international organizations, and research institutions
Building the Evidence Base and Local Capacity to Remedy Labor Rights Violations in Malaysia Asia and the Pacific
Malaysia
Principal Investigator To build an evidence-base on labor rights violations and local capacity to remedy these violations, through the documentation of labor violations and the strengthening of outreach and communication mechanisms to empower migrant workers and local organizations
Population Estimation of North Korean Refugees and Migrants in China Asia and the Pacific
China
Principal Investigator To estimate the population of North Korean refugees and irregular migrants as well as the population of children born to North Korean mothers in Northeast China; and to assess household composition and living conditions of the children born to North Korean mothers
Trafficking Prevalence and Intervention Impact at the Thai/Burma Border Asia and the Pacific
Myanmar
Thailand
Principal Investigator To: (a) estimate prevalence of labor and sex trafficking and associated mental and physical health risks, (b) measure the impact of a current three-tiered community intervention, and (c) develop recommendations to improve methods to identify and assist trafficking victims
Assessing Mental Health Concepts of Older Adults Displaced by Disasters in the Republic of Georgia South-Eastern Europe Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Georgia
Principal Investigator To determine the impacts of long-term displacement on elderly populations through the development of assessment methodologies that combine instruments to measure physical and mental health, social networks and social support, as well as migration history and lifetime major and traumatic events