Déplacants

Déplacants is a French term derived from the verb déplacer, literally meaning “those who move” or “those who have been displaced.” In humanitarian and sociological usage, it refers to people who have left their homes under compulsion. The English equivalent is often “displaced persons.” In policy and reporting, French sources typically use phrases such as personnes déplacées, with subcategories including réfugiés (refugees), demandeurs d’asile (asylum seekers), and déplacés internes (internally displaced persons, IDPs). The concept covers a range of causes—armed conflict, political persecution, natural disasters, and development-induced displacement—and describes conditions of temporary or protracted displacement and the lack of stable housing or protection.

In other disciplines, the term is not a standardized technical label. Linguistically, déplaçant is mainly the present participle of déplacer, and déplaçants—though encountered—are not a formal technical term; when used informally, they may refer to people who move rather than to a defined status with rights. Because the topic can be sensitive, many writers prefer explicit phrases such as personnes déplacées, réfugiés, or déplacés internes to convey status and rights.

See also displacement, refugee, internally displaced person, migration, humanitarian aid.