Activities
Past activities of the RSD Psychology Evidence Group
(formerly the Psychology Research Evidence Project)
Demo Day Hackathon: A Tech Law Approach to Virtual Refugee Hearings
Apr 6, 2026
Toronto, Canada
Students at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law studying ‘Technology, Law and Society’ with Prof. Jake Effoduh worked on addressing the concerns raised in the (PDF file) Virtual Hearings Circle Report. They presented innovative legal solutions to improve the efficiency, fairness, and accessibility of virtual refugee hearings.
Virtual Hearings Circle
Feb 28, 2025
Toronto, Canada
RSD Psychology Evidence Group brought together twelve participants for a day-long discussion: two former refugee claimants; three refugee lawyers; two members of refugee serving agencies; and five academics with related areas of study. The aim of this discussion was to understand whether holding refugee hearings virtually rather than in person increases the risk that a claimant will be misunderstood or wrongly disbelieved, or the risk that they will have an acutely stressful experience – and if this format increases either of these risks, under what circumstances, how and why. Using a talking circle methodology, the Virtual Hearings Circle participants shared their observations about how the virtual format affects claimants’ testimony, counsel and interpreters’ work, and decision-makers’ judgments.
Refugee Narratives: Reflections from Psychology, Communications and Law
Feb 26, 2025
Toronto, Canada
Along with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Centre for Immigration and Settlement, RSD Psychology Evidence Group hosted a discussion among scholars in Communication (Prof. Katty Alhayek, Toronto Metropolitan University), Criminology (Prof. Vincent Denault, University of Montreal), and Psychology (Dr. Zoe Given-Wilson, University College London), moderated by Prof. Evans Cameron (Toronto Metropolitan University). From within their respective disciplines, the panelists brought critical lenses to aspects of legal and everyday storytelling that shape the lives of refugees and refugee claimants.
Adamantly Immigration-based: Refugee Status Determination in Japan
Nov 7, 2024
Toronto, Canada
In conjunction with the International Law and Global Justice group at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, RSD Psychology Evidence Group hosted Prof. Kohki Abe (Meiji Gakuin University Faculty of International Studies), a leading refugee law scholar, for a guest lecture about the Japanese refugee status determination system. This was followed by a discussion with Prof. Evans Cameron about common challenges facing asylum applicants in refugee systems internationally.
Beyond Proof, 10 Years On: Evidence-based Asylum Decision-making
May 23, 2023
Webinar
RSD Psychology Evidence Group, along with the Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law (Royal Holloway, University of London), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, hosted this workshop on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the UNHCR’s ‘Beyond Proof’ Report (2013). It brought together over 70 participants internationally who are engaged in thinking about questions of proof in refugee status determination
Presentations to Judges, Decision-makers, Lawyers, Policymakers and Academics
(selected, since 2023)
International Association of Refugee and Forced Migration Judges
Presentation by Dr. Herlihy and Prof. Evans Cameron at the Workshop following the World Conference of the IARMJ: “The Psychology Research Evidence Project” (Nov 20, 2025, Nairobi, Kenya)
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron at the World Conference of the IARMJ: “Credibility Assessment in Refugee Status Determination: The Rise of Evidence-based Decision-making” (May 8, 2025, The Hague, Netherlands)
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron at the Annual Conference of the Asia Pacific Chapter of the IARMJ: “What are the chances? Reasoning with ‘inherent probabilities’ in RSD credibility findings” (Nov 17, 2024; virtual)
MOBILE: Centre of Excellence for Global Mobility Law
Presentation by Dr. Herlihy and Prof. Evans Cameron at the “(Re-)Constructing Credibility in Refugee Status Determination” workshop, hosted by MOBILE: “Off-the-record’ Deception Inferences in Canadian Refugee Status Decision-making: A View from the Bar” (Oct 24, 2025; Copenhagen, Denmark)
Keynote by Prof. Evans Cameron at the “(Re-)Constructing Credibility in Refugee Status Determination” workshop, hosted by MOBILE: “Credibility Assessment in Refugee Status Decision-making: Alternatives to Hope” (Oct 23, 2025; Copenhagen, Denmark)
Refugee Law Initiative, University of London (UK)
Presentation by Dr. Herlihy and Dr. Evans Cameron at the 8th Annual Conference of the Refugee Law Initiative: “The PRE Project: Psychology Research Evidence in Refugee Status Decision-making” (Jun 4, 2024; London, UK)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Guest lecture by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the Division of International Protection at UNHCR Headquarters: “The PRE Project: Bringing Psychology Research Evidence to Refugee Status Decision-making” (May 29, 2024, Geneva, Switzerland).
Guest lecture by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the Division of International Protection at UNHCR Headquarters: “Credibility Assessment in Refugee Status Determination: Evidence-based decision-making” (Mar 13, 2023, Geneva, Switzerland)
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron and Prof. Ron Fisher (Florida International University) to members of the IRB: “Credibility Assessment in Refugee Status Decision-making” (May 31, 2024; virtual across Canada)
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the IRB: « L’évaluation de la crédibilité dans le cadre d’une demande d’asile » (May 24, 2023; virtual with Montréal, Canada)
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the IRB: « La crédibilité et l’évaluation de la preuve dans le contexte des demandes d’asile fondées sur le genre » (Feb 21, 2024; Montréal, Canada)
Swedish Migration Court
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the Swedish Migration Court: “The Law of Fact-finding in Refugee Status Decision-making: Resolving Uncertainty” (May 27, 2024; Gothenburg, Sweden)
Swedish Migration Agency
Presentation by Prof. Evans Cameron to members of the Swedish Migration Agency: “The Law of Fact-finding in Refugee Status Decision-making: Resolving Uncertainty” (May 24, 2024; Gothenburg, Sweden)
University of Gothenburg
Guest lectures by Prof. Evans Cameron at the Department of Psychology and the Department of Law: “Psychology Research Evidence in Refugee Status Decision-making” (May 22 & 23, 2024; Gothenburg, Sweden)
Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers
Presentations by Prof. Evans Cameron and Prof. Ron Fisher (Florida International University) at the bi-annual Conference of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers: “How to interview claimants effectively and how to deal with BOC omissions when they occur” (Oct 19, 2023; follow-up discussion session Dec 14, 2023; Toronto, Canada)
