The UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) eighth annual High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges – on the theme Understanding and addressing the root causes of displacement – will take place on 16 and 17 December 2015 in Geneva. The dialogue seeks to foster a more nuanced understanding of the drivers of displacement and to identify opportunities for tackling them through strengthened cooperation between humanitarian, human rights and development actors. The purpose of this paper is to feed into the discussions that will take place during this year’s Dialogue and to help participants re-think displacement in the context of today’s crises.