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The Tangled Paths to Safety; final.pdf (1.23 MB)

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The Tangled Paths to Safety: A Comparison of the Migration and Settlement Experiences of Refugees and Voluntary Migrants

Owens, Christopher Allen
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366550897

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Rural Sociology.
Until recently, the research on refugee populations has been part of migration studies, with little distinction made between the two populations. The focus of research has always been on the movement rather than the motivations behind the movement. It has been generally assumed that refugees would make the same overall choices that immigrants make upon arrival in their areas of destination. Yet as this study establishes, the experiences of refugees are radically different from those of voluntary migrants, and refugees do not typically have the advantage of choosing their destinations. This research begins from the perspective that the essential difference between refugees and immigrants is the aspect of choice. Theoretically at least, an immigrant has a choice whether or not to migrate, while the refugee has no such option. A voluntary immigrant at least has the option of staying where they are without suffering any penalties (beyond opportunity costs) for this action, while refugees must move or face serious consequences. This research establishes refugees as a distinct sub-group within the greater population of international immigrants. This allows a finer level of detail in future research and allow policy makers to tailor their programs to better meet the needs of their target constituents. The first set of questions this research addresses is, “What are the differences in the characteristics of refugees as compared to voluntary migrants?” The next question is, “In what aspects do refugees differ from voluntary migrants and what does this mean for employment prospects, assimilation or multiculturalism, spatial distribution, community development, programmatic needs, and policy making?” This set of questions will be analyzed using the quantitative methods applied to the data provided by the 2003 New Immigrant Survey (NIS), conducted by Princeton University. The next research question will be “What effects do these differences have on the experiences of refugees in their host country (the U.S.)?” This question deals with the key issues that interest researchers of immigration: how the differences between refugees and immigrants manifest themselves in their actions and living situations. This research will begin to explain the effect refugee status has on an immigrant’s ability to utilize their human capital in the host country. Human capital for this study will be measured by years of education and work experience in the home nation. Finally, this study investigates the detailed experiences of refugees as they have undergone the process of displacement and resettlement in the United States. This stage of research will also focus on the strategies and resources utilized by refugees in overcoming the barriers they confront during this process. This stage of the research process will focus exclusively on qualitative interviews of Somali refugees and key informants living and working in central Ohio.
Cathy Rakowski, PhD (Advisor)
415 p.
African Studies; Demography; Sociology
Refugees; refugee theory; immigration; immigration theory; Somalia; Somali diaspora; sense making methodology; New Immigrant Survey.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Owens, C. A. (2013). The Tangled Paths to Safety: A Comparison of the Migration and Settlement Experiences of Refugees and Voluntary Migrants [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366550897

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Owens, Christopher. The Tangled Paths to Safety: A Comparison of the Migration and Settlement Experiences of Refugees and Voluntary Migrants. 2013. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366550897.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Owens, Christopher. "The Tangled Paths to Safety: A Comparison of the Migration and Settlement Experiences of Refugees and Voluntary Migrants." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366550897

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1366550897
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.