Refugees from Somalia, Burma/Myanmar and Iraq: Navigating New Lives in the US in Post-9/11 Context

Author

Ivona Boroje, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Karen Miller

Subject Categories

American Politics | International Relations | Migration Studies

Keywords

US Refugee Policy, Refugee Resettlement, Integration

Abstract

This thesis engages with the relationship of the US with refugees, with a focus on the reception and perception of refugees resettled in the US after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Three groups that have resettled in the US in large numbers after 9/11, namely refugees from Somalia, Burma/Myanmar and Iraq groups have had divergent experiences, shaped by factors such as race and/or ethnic identity, religion, cultural norms, expectations about life in the US, histories of their places of origin and the relationship of the US with that place of origin. This thesis attempts to compare the experiences of the three groups, while arguing for further comparative and long-term studies of refugee integration. In a time of virulent anti-refugee rhetoric, this thesis also advocates for greater understanding of refugees’ experiences and a more informed discourse on US refugee policy.

Recommended Citation

Boroje, Ivona, "Refugees from Somalia, Burma/Myanmar and Iraq: Navigating New Lives in the US in Post-9/11 Context" (2019). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3016