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Resettlement Experiences of Burmese Women from Refugee Backgrounds in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

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posted on 2021-11-12, 20:23 authored by Kamri-McGurk, Una

The resettlement experiences of Burmese women from refugee backgrounds living in Wellington are the focus of this thesis. Increasing numbers of people are being resettled worldwide, so it is important to consider how that resettlement process is being experienced. Burmese refugees are the largest group to arrive in New Zealand (NZ) since 2000, yet remain relatively unknown. This research explores subjective aspects of resettlement, such as how women feel about life in NZ, the kinds of difficulties faced in their resettlement and what could help to improve their sense of well-being in everyday life. My intention is to facilitate a collaborative process with a group of ten Burmese women using a qualitative approach that positions former refugees as active participants in their own resettlement. It is guided by a feminist methodology, recognising the significance of women’s experiences and the value of their knowledge arising from this. Specifically, I use the photovoice method, whereby the women use photography to record significant aspects of their lives as a vehicle through which we then explore resettlement. The women’s community networks are shown to play a major role in adapting to life in NZ. These networks are a source of support and information and provide opportunities for maintaining language and culture. The women appreciate the opportunities presented by life in NZ, such as education and healthcare for their children, adult education classes and the chance to cultivate their gardens. However, there is a sense of opportunities lost through lack of English language and work opportunities. Where the relationships work well, volunteers and home tutors assist the women considerably with adapting to life in NZ. These relationships provide information and assistance, but also help to bridge the gap between former refugees and the host community. Other such initiatives that bring together different sectors of the community would allow the women to participate more fully in the wider host community and create greater awareness of the individual stories of refugee-background communities living in NZ.

History

Copyright Date

2012-01-01

Date of Award

2012-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Development Studies

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Development Studies

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences

Advisors

Kindon, Sara; Bloom, Alia