Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Welcoming The Stranger: Abrahamic Hospitality And Its Contemporary Implications, Ori N. Soltes, Rachel Stern, Endy Moraes

Religion

Embracing hospitality and inclusion in Abrahamic traditions

One of the signal moments in the narrative of the biblical Abraham is his insistent and enthusiastic reception of three strangers, a starting point of inspiration for all three Abrahamic traditions as they evolve and develop the details of their respective teachings. On the one hand, welcoming the stranger by remembering “that you were strangers in the land of Egypt” is enjoined upon the ancient Israelites, and on the other, oppressing the stranger is condemned by their prophets throughout the Hebrew Bible.

These sentiments are repeated in the New Testament and the Qur’an …

Reaching The Unheard: Overcoming Challenges In Health Research With Hard-To-Reach Populations, Venera Bekteshi, Munjireen Sifat, Darla Kendzor

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Addressing obstacles such as logistical complexities, social stigma, and the impact of historical traumas is essential for the successful inclusion of underrepresented groups in health research.

METHODS: This article reviews engagement and interview techniques used to ethically engage recently settled Afghan refugees in Oklahoma and rural Mexican-born women in Illinois in research. The paper concludes with a reflective discussion on the challenges and lessons learned.

RESULTS: Creative strategies to engage hard-to-reach populations in research included considering the participants' socioeconomic and cultural contexts in their interactions and developing community partnerships to establish trust and obtain reliable data. Other engagement strategies …

Unhcr Egypt's Impact On Refugees And Asylum Seekers: 2000-2020, Abdallah Bahar

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the shifts in UNHCR Egypt’s practice and policy and their impacts on refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. It focuses on procedures of reception, registration, refugee status determination (RSD), and resettlement. It also examines the changes in services provided to refugees and asylum seekers, such as health care, education, residency permits, and future change. In addition, the study explores the major reasons for these shifts and whether they are stimulated by the global refugee regime or other factors such as domestic legislation. The thesis attempts to answer the following two questions: 1) what are the shifts in …

An Exploration Of The Lived Experiences And Psychological States Of Migrants And Refugees, Zainab Akef, Senel Poyrazli, Isabel Quintero

The Qualitative Report

UNHCR reports that about 82.4 million individuals were forcibly displaced as they attempted to avoid persecution, conflict, or human rights violations in their home countries. In addition to traumatic experiences, refugees encounter stressors such as low income, reduced social support, and language barriers. This qualitative study aimed to explore the impact of pre-migration trauma and political detainment on mental health outcomes and living conditions. A total of eight interviewees participated in video conferencing interviews. A non-probability convenience sampling using the snowballing technique was utilized to identify participants. Data were analyzed using an inductive approach for thematic analysis. The software Dedoose …

Baseline Study For A Refugee Children’S Programme In Sudan, Acer India

ACER India

This is a brief report on a project to measure the baseline metrics of UNICEF’s Integration and Mainstreaming of Refugee Children into the Sudanese Education System (IRCSES) programme.

The Role Of Leaders In Implementing Effective Leadership Strategies Towards The Educational Barriers Of Us-Based Refugee Students: A Qualitative Case Study Of Congolese Refugee Students, Faustin Busane

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This qualitative research study explored the experiences of three families of refugee school students, two school officials (a Superintendent and a Principal), three teachers, and one humanitarian agent all living in a Southeastern U.S. city. The results of the study revealed that the language barrier is the main academic challenge that refugee students encounter when they enroll in U.S. schools. The study also found that educators conceptualize their responsibilities toward refugee children by emphasizing the importance of high-quality teaching, and establishing through establishing strong relationships between parents, school officials, and exercising patience in the process. This study poses important implications …

Childhood Experiences Of Family Violence Among Racialized Immigrant Youth: Case Studies, Purnima George George, Archana Medhekar, Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Sophia Schmitz, Allyson Nodin, Gillian Grant

Books

Envisioned to serve as a training tool for human service professionals, the book, “Childhood experiences of family violence among racialized immigrant youth: Case studies,” provides narratives of the direct and indirect experiences of family violence, its impacts and survival by racialized immigrant youth in their childhood. The case narratives have been constructed from the phenomenological interviews conducted with twelve racialized immigrant youth as they described and interpreted their experiences of violence. Guided by theoretical frameworks such as Anti-Colonialism, Critical Race Theory, A rights-based approach to children and Anti-Oppressive practice, with concepts of the Best Interest of the Child …

The Middle Of The Middle: Purgatory, Pilgrimage, And Human And Plant Mobility In A Time Of Climate Crisis, Stephen S. Collis

The Goose

This paper, adapted from a talk given for the Institute of the Humanities at Simon Fraser University on April 26 2023, explores intersecting issues taken up by an in-progress long poem I am currently writing. That long poem, “The Middle,” explores questions of climate displacement, migration, and refuge via a writing-though of Dante’s Purgatorio—itself a poem of pilgrimage. A further context for both the poem and the paper about the poem is an ongoing project of walking in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers, and immigration detainees that the author has been involved with since 2015. In seeking to “override …

Help-Seeking Behavior Among Resettled Refugee, Mahfoudha Sid’Elemine

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The refugee resettlement process is a huge part of refugees’ journeys in their new countries that has a lasting impact on their long-term integration. The literature highlights the importance of trust for successful refugee resettlement. This dissertation, however, challenges assumptions about the primary importance of “trust” and argues that the importance of trust is relative and can depend on the nature of the resettlement program and the perspective and background of refugees. In other words, there is not a one-size-fits-all of trust building in the context of resettlement. For certain resettlement programs trust building can be counterproductive when resources are …

Learning To Fly While Staying Grounded: How Forcibly Displaced Individuals Develop A Sense Of Belonging In Disempowered Cities, Janina L. Selzer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Despite a growing interest in belonging, immigration and urban scholarship has yet to develop an empirically grounded, spatially sensitive, and complex theorization of the concept itself. Drawing on a comparative case study of two disempowered cities – Bielefeld, Germany, and Detroit, US, – this dissertation analyzes how and to what extent forcibly displaced Yazidi and Chaldean Iraqis develop a sense of belonging. By triangulating data from semi-structured interviews, ethnographic observations, as well as a discourse analysis of policy documents, the following pages trace how politics of belonging are continuously produced, reproduced, and challenged through a spatially mediated and often contradictory …

Breaking The Silence: The Untold Journeys Of Racialized Immigrant Youth Through Family Violence, Purnima George, Archana Medhekar, Bethany Osborne, Ferzana Chaze, Karen Cove, Sophia Schmitz

Books & Chapters

Intended to fill the existing gap in knowledge, the book, “Breaking the silence: The untold journeys of racialized immigrant youth through family violence”, is a Phenomenological research study that sheds light on the experiences and agency of twelve racialized immigrant youths as they navigated family violence in their childhood. By bringing together theoretical frameworks, such as Anti-Colonialism, Critical Race Theory, A rights Based approach to children and Anti-Oppressive practice, with concepts of the Best Interest of the Child and Coercive Control, the book provides an insight into the impacts of family violence and how these experiences are complicated …

Syrian Refugee Place Attachment And Place Making In Ottawa, On, Kiran Va Unger-Basappa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

How can Syrian refugees’ feelings of attachment towards places and spaces in Ottawa, ON be used to indicate their own sense of integration into Canadian society? Exploring research participants’ place attachments to the city of Ottawa enables a greater understanding of their lived geographies that either hinder or elevate their integration experience. The mixed-method data collection used in this research study include an online qualitative survey, in-depth interviews, and a mental mapping exercise. The analysis of the data is based upon five factors of place attachment used to define integration. These are comfort, security, relationships, involvement, and rootedness. …

Is The Impact Of The Refugee Crisis More Detrimental To Women And Children? A Case Study Of Ukraine Women In Poland, Carmaniola Benjamin

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has made the European refugee dilemma, even more challenging. Many individuals specifically women and children have been displaced as a result of the conflict between these two nations. Because of the conflict many Ukrainians seek safety and stability in nearby nations like Poland. But this surge of Ukrainian migrants, has also brought forward several difficulties.

Interview With Esperance Kabakunda, Keasha Buchana

Interviews

Transcript of interview and audio recording conducted with Esperance Kabakunda. Per the "Methodology" section, the transcript has been lightly edited for clarity. The interview begins at 00:00:12 in the audio recording.

This interview was recorded over Zoom and manually transcribed.

Interview With Patrick Binsenga, Keasha Buchana, Chris Davey

Interviews

Transcript of interview and audio recording conducted with Patrick Binsenga. Per the "Methodology" section, the transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

This interview was recorded over Zoom and manually transcribed.

Latest Research Summaries (Migrants And Refugees)

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Migrants And Refugees

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

What Do Refugees Need Most, Micah Stepan, Hayley Gorham

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Refugees often struggle in their new country upon arrival. After fleeing their war-torn homeland and daring to survive an equally perilous journey to freedom through unknown landscapes, refugees often find that adjusting to the new country providing them shelter and safety is just as difficult as the journey it took them to get there. When refugees arrive in their new country, everything is new. Often, they arrive with just what is on their backs, and they begin a new fight for survival at the bottom of the economic food chain. In short, everything is a challenge.

Refugees And Migrants - A World On The Move, Beverli J. Dewalt

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

With the increasing numbers of refugees and migrants worldwide, particularly over the past decade, being informed about current issues and trends is important for nonprofits working in this arena. This article gives an overview of statistics, trends, data, and policies related to refugees and migrants. This article also briefly reviews key areas nonprofits help in this sector and encourages collaboration and community involvement. Additional resources for further reading are also provided.

Migrants, Refugees And Human Trafficking, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

As the migrant and refugee numbers show a continual growth around the world, there is a pressing need to find solutions to end the suffering of migrant women, men, and children as they become victims of human trafficking. Understanding the current situation and the challenges that exist with migrants and refugees can lead to finding ways of developing preventive measures, including (1) prosecuting traffickers, (2) protecting victims and (3) cooperating in counter-trafficking efforts, according to the World Migration Report in 2022 and the Survivor Inclusion Initiative in 2021. New research needs to be pursued, policies and programs need to be …

Helping Refugees Heal Through Yoga - The Healing Method, Yoga Will Heal

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Refugees have often gone through traumatic experiences, which opens the opportunity for healing tools to be presented in refugee camps and community groups. The Mental Health Foundation states that “trauma can make you more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. It can also directly cause post-traumatic stress disorder” (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). The Healing Method: A Mental Health Approach to Yoga can be a healing tool for many refugees in coping with areas of mental health and trauma.

The Sidelined Front-Liners: Eritrean Cbos In Greater Cairo, Nada Hegazy

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the recognition of the important role that community-based organizations play, among international actors concerned with refugee issues, as well as UNHCR’s adoption of a community-based approach to protection; community-based organizations continue to be sidelined by these actors. This thesis explores the role that Eritrean CBOs play in improving the lives of Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers living in Greater Cairo. It also investigates the challenges that they face while trying to operate in Egypt. Using a multi-scalar lens, the research examines the relationships between Eritrean CBOs and Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers, the State, UNHCR and its partner organizations, in addition …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And Immigration- A Case Study Of Sweden, Sayantan Ghosal

International Journal on Responsibility

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the trend of immigration, rules of immigration, and immigrants in the state. For those Swedish employers who employ non-EU citizens, the outbreak has created several business immigration-related issues. In addition to this, refugees are also a vulnerable group in society who face several challenges ranging from asylum to integration. Compromised living conditions and health facilities put them at greater health risks if infected with the virus. The long-term consequences of this pandemic in the case of refugees may also take the form of unemployment and social isolation. The paper focuses on labour immigrants …

Investigating The Role Of Identity Documents In Refugees’ Access To Education In South Africa, Elvis Munyoka

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

This article examined the role of identity documentation in refugees’ access to education in South Africa. Identity documentation has become a necessity in modern societies. Proof of identity is required to demonstrate who one is, and to gain access to various government services such as health care, employment, and 􀏐inancial assistance. However, the role of identity documents in refugees’ access to education in South Africa has received less attention. Few studies have demonstrated that without identity documents, refugees confront multiple barriers to accessing primary and secondary education in South Africa. This article reviewed available studies and recent literature on the …

Dispositif, Biopolitical Governance, And Significance Of Genealogical Approach In Navigating Refugees’ Experiences Of Camp And Community, Rabindra Chaulagain

Critical Humanities

Foucault’s distinction between biopolitics and biopower is significant to society, a normative body in terms of seeing biopower as the practical production of the visible and invisible poles of the dispositif through interdependent discursive and institutional practices of administration. This paper fundamentally discusses two theoretical ideas ingrained with the notion of Foucauldian biopolitics---dispositif and genealogy that Foucault brought into account for merging them into modern biopolitical administrative forces. First, it discusses the idea of dispositif as a mechanism of governance and critically examines its connection to biopower and biopolitics. Second, it analyzes the notion of genealogy as a tool to …

‘Welcoming’ Guests: The Role Of Ideational And Contextual Factors In Public Perceptions About Refugees And Attitudes About Their Integration, H. Ege Ozen, Aysenur Dal, Efe Tokdemir

Publications and Research

In this study, we aim to explore the ideational and contextual sources of perceptions about refugees. Contrary to many studies focusing on the interaction with and integration of refugees in developed countries, we examine the effect of social identity and refugee exposure on the perception of refugees in Turkey, which pose a substantive case with a background of ethnic conflict and scarce resources. We contend that social identities provide individuals with cues; however, we argue that identity type and its salience are key to understanding in-group vs. out-group formation processes, hence the perceptions about refugees. Moreover, we argue that socioeconomic …

Post-Resettlement Food Insecurity: Afghan Refugees And Challenges Of The New Environment, Zahra Goliaei, Mariaelena Gonzalez, Karina Diaz Rios, Mamata Pokhrel, Nancy J Burke

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC Public Health Program

BACKGROUND: Lack of access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food is a major concern for the Afghan population due to ongoing war and humanitarian crises. Recently resettled Afghan refugees in the US continue to face challenges securing adequate, nutritious food resources in new environments. This study examined Afghan refugees' food access and insecurity in the San Joaquin Valley, California.

METHODS: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the perspectives and experiences of key informants and newly arrived Afghan refugees.

RESULTS: This study highlights environmental and structural factors (availability and accessibility of grocery stores; availability of religious-appropriate items in the stores; …

Teaching About The Global Refugee Crisis, Melissa Kafer

Honors Projects

Around the world, there are more than 30 million refugees (UNHCR, 2023) facing language barriers, cultural differences, prejudice, racism, and xenophobia. The number of admitted refugees in 2022 has more than doubled since 2021 (Duffin, 2022), and yet, many Americans do not know or understand the global refugee crisis. There are misconceptions in America that cause lack of empathy, bias, and prejudice towards refugees. Through the creation of four lesson plans, this research project aims to discover Americans’ misunderstandings regarding refugees and teach them about the crisis to remedy the misconceptions. This study includes a literature review detailing appropriate teaching …

Treated Like Aliens: An Analysis Of Refugee Admissions Into The United States By Preferences, Nicadamus Atkins

Transformations: Research Papers

From the Refugee Act of 1980 to the present, the President has had the power to create a refugee ceiling, capping the admittance of refugees into the United States. The differential impact that Republican control of the legislative and/or the executive branches has on the admission of refugees into the United States is explored in this paper. Focusing on the refugee system, I examine Presidential political parties along with those of the House of Representatives over the course of 1986 to 2019 to determine if there is a correlation between party ideologies and refugee admission caps. Analyzing data from the …

The Silenced Migrants, Alisa Nguyen

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

I researched how the Ukrainian refugee crisis has highlighted cases of institutionalized racism all over the world and amplified the quiet part of many people's thinking. I focused on how BIPOC refugees were treated before this crisis, what has happened to them during this crisis, and how BIPOC refugees from Ukraine were treated by the world and Ukrainians.

[A supplementary file with slides is available below.)