This thesis is submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of M.A. Cross-Cultural & International Education and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching.
Violent civil conflict in the African nation of Sudan created a humanitarian crisis which necessitated involvement and support from the international community, resulting in the resettlement of many Sudanese refuges to the United States. Much of the research on refugee populations has failed to take into account the gendered nature of the refugee experience. This is especially true of the Sudanese refugee population, in which the experiences of men have been well documented, earning them recognitions as the Lost Boys of Sudan; while their female counterparts have remained, for the most, part voiceless. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Sudanese refugee women perceive and interpret their experiences in formal education programs and how these experiences influence the resettlement process. This study addresses gaps in the literature by providing insight into the lived experiences of nine Sudanese refugee women as they reflect on their education experiences. The findings of this study indicate that refugee women have unique needs during the resettlement process. In addition to the need to learn the language of the country of resettlement, find a job and adjust to social and cultural norms, the Sudanese refugee women in this study also expressed a strong need to establish relationships, gain economic independence, and find a sense of hope in the future. The findings of this study suggest that participating in formal education can assist Sudanese refugee women in the resettlement process by fulfilling many of these needs. Formal education provided the Sudanese refugee women in this study with language and occupational skills, in addition to, and most significantly, a sense of empowerment and the agency necessary for them to redefine their lives and advocate for social change.