As the daughter of refugees, Shailja Sharma knows first-hand how much refugees have to offer the cities and countries in which they settle. In her talk, “Refugees with Benefits,” she discusses her family’s experiences and the "gifts," "skills" and "education" they can bring to a local economy.

Sharma is an associate professor of international studies and an associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. She also directs the Refugee and Forced Migration Program at DePaul University. Sharma has published on post-colonialism, globalization, South Asia, migration and citizenship. Her books include “New Cosmopolitanisms: South Asians in the United States” and the forthcoming “In the Hyphen of the Nation-State.” She has written for publications including Tehelka, Outlook magazine, Inside Higher Ed and has appeared on WBEZ’s “Worldview.” In her spare time, she records oral history for the organization 1947 Partition Archive, based in Berkeley, California.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx