Greetings,
I work with refugee resettlement organizations in Rochester, New York,
and also offer a college course on the topic of refugee resettlement.
Most of those resettling in Rochester in recent years are of Burmese,
Congolese, Bhutanese, and Somali nationalities. As most of us are aware,
the term "refugee" carries many connotations, most of which are less
than positive -- helpless, needy, etc. There are interesting writings on
this topic, but regardless, the term is firmly entrenched in academic,
legal, policy, and humanitarian aid arenas.
Increasingly, in my work with the local resettled refugee communities,
and with other partners, it has become quite discomforting to continue
to freely use the term "refugees." Some of the arguments I encounter are
that those who are resettled are no longer refugees (which is
technically correct as per the cessation of refugee status guidelines),
though many local organizations continue to provide "refugee" services
to families for many years after their arrival.
If you have encountered challenges and contestation of the use of the
term "refugee", would you be willing to share with me your experiences?
I would be particularly interested in any responses you might have to
these challenges, and if you have ideas on alternative terms of
reference for refugees in general, and resettled refugees in particular.
Often times, I reference communities by their nationalities of origin
(if I'm working at the community level), but when I have programs that
bring together folks from different nationalities, I find it hard not to
use the term refugees (or former refugees). If you have any literature
that address or suggest alternative reference terms, would you please
share these with me as well?
Thank you all for your assistance.
Please send all replies to: [log in to unmask]
Otieno Kisiara
Rochester, NY
[log in to unmask]
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