How receiving communities structure refugee settlement experiences: the case of Burmese immigrants in DFW
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Keywords: Migration, Refugees, Myanmar, DFW
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Kaitlin Stewart, University of North Texas
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Abstract
The Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex (DFW) serves as a diverse resettlement location for globally displaced refugees. While research examines how the nation impacts refugee resettlement, studies that examine the role of the city and community in placemaking are still lacking. In city resettlement investigations, research often focuses broadly on advocacy and political movements rather than the impacts of local-level structures and policies. In this paper, I develop an evaluation model using Jenny Phillimore's (2020) categories for successful refugee resettlement that examines how structural barriers, community interactions, and resource accessibility affect space and place for refugee populations. Through an ethnography of Chin and Rohingya refugee communities in DFW, I explore the differences between community-settled and state-settled refugee groups, respectively. Additionally, I argue that refugees who choose their settlement location in the United States are empowered and thus have a stronger connection to their host community than state-settled refugees. For example, in interviews, the Chin emphasized their ownership of Lewisville and feelings of home, while the Rohingya expressed feelings of placelessness and dispossession in Dallas. While creating a top-down model of community resettlement of refugees has difficulties, this research demonstrates the potential of such a program in the United States.
How receiving communities structure refugee settlement experiences: the case of Burmese immigrants in DFW
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Paper Abstract