How Games of Thrones Teaches Us About the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Stefan Morrone
2015-12-03 00:00:00

Seeing as the hype has already started for the next season, I got to thinking about the events of the previous season, and I realized that there is a great parallel to events occurring in our world right now. Frequently, fiction can be used to understand current events and the impact of making difficult decisions.

The world of Westeros is very complicated, much like ours.  Political alliances, betrayals, and wars are the norms.  Throughout the novels, a major conflict that arises is the question of an alliance with the Wildlings.

The wildlings are people who live in the lands beyond the Wall, still on the continent of Westeros but beyond the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms. The name they employ makes reference to their society, which recognizes no inherent or hereditary political authority, except for leaders whom they choose to follow.

In the show, Jon Snow attempts to bring the wildlings into Westeros, to unite them with the Kingdom to face a common threat: the White Walkers.  The Walkers are an enemy of both all the kingdoms in Westeros and the Wildlings.  They seek the destruction of the entire nation and will stop at nothing until they succeed.  What makes these creatures terrifying is their ability to add those they kill to their army in zombie-like fashion. As their opposition grows weaker, they become stronger.





This story parallels the contemporary issue of the Syrian refugee crisis. Syrians are fleeing their war-torn country and attempting to enter Western countries. Syrians have been fleeing the civil war in their country for years. As it happens, they are also fleeing ISIS, the mutual enemy of the Syrian people and the West.

Just as in Game of Thrones, there is divided opinion on whether to allow the refugees into the country. In Game of Thrones, in the case of the Wildlings, the Night's Watch refuses to let them in because they have been at war for so long.  They believe the Wildlings are barbaric and cannot be trusted, and thus are undeserving of protection.

Since the Paris attacks, in which one of the dead terrorists was Syrian, world opinion has divided on whether to accept more refugees. ISIS has stated they would infiltrate refugees entering Western countries and cause more havoc. Despite this, many countries are actively trying to help refugees.  Even France, just after the horrific attacks, has recognized the plight of these people.  Francois Hollande has promised to allow 30,000 refugees into the country.

Here in Canada, the new Liberal government has promised to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year and thousands of Canadians have volunteered their support to settlement networks and to help make these refugees’ lives better.

But Canada, like Jon Snow, is in the minority.  On the other side, many believe that the Syrian people cannot be trusted because of ISIS' ability to infiltrate countries. The United States government wants to allow refugees but faces a split in opinion.  Some areas are allowing refugees, and some are not, depending on the governors of individual states. Some, like Connecticut, are allowing refugees to begin new lives while states like Indiana have firmly stated they will not be accepting any.

Much like in Game of Thrones, the situation is murky. Nobody wholeheartedly supported Jon Snow in his choice to make the Wildlings a part of Westeros, except perhaps his only friend Sam.

In Canada specifically, there has been concern over the country’s safety. Brad Wall, the Conservative premier of Saskatchewan, has called for the suspension of the Syrian resettlement program until there can be a full guarantee that none of the 25,000 refugees entering the country pose a security threat. To that end, the government has listened and will no longer be meeting their priority date of December 31 for bringing in the refugees. The government has decided to bring in 10,000 by the end of the year and 15,000 more by the end of February. This is a much slower pace, but it means the job is more likely to be done correctly – 25,000 desperate people will be able to find sanctuary in Canada while still protecting the security of Canadians.

It is not an easy debate, nor is it black and white.  Much like Jon Snow and other characters in the series, Canadians must weigh the facts and choose their own opinions.

We Canadians sympathize with the hardships of these people, but we must also prioritize the safety of our country and its citizens. We should go slow and be absolutely sure that there are no terrorists among the 25,000. However, with ISIS threatening to infiltrate refugees entering the country, the focus shifts from sympathy to suspicion.

The world’s perception of the Syrian people has been tainted by the actions of ISIS.  Many people cannot differentiate that not all of them are terrorists, and most are genuinely fleeing for their lives from their war-torn country. This parallels Game of Thrones, where the Wildlings are tainted by their past; having been stuck at war for decades with the people of Westeros, both sides are extremely hesitant to unify against a common threat.

In the end, Jon Snow allows the Wildlings refuge in Westeros from the White Walkers, although the men of the Night's Watch are very disgruntled and slow to warm to their new allies, not truly understanding the extent of the threat posed by the White Walkers.  Canada must do the same.  We must allow these people sanctuary while taking measures to ensure that we are not infiltrated.  Much like the men of the Night's Watch, it will take time to be able to "trust" the refugees until we are sure they are clear.  But once we are certain, we must do everything possible to make their lives comfortable and hospitable in their new home while focussing our efforts in defeating the group that drove them out.

Much like in Game of Thrones, it remains to be seen how the situation will play out.  I can only hope it ends well for both groups.