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Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees
Includes abstract.|Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-103).
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Historical Studies
2014
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| _version_ | 1867613334275096576 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Buyer, Meritt |
| author2 | Field, Sean |
| author_browse | Buyer, Meritt Field, Sean |
| author_facet | Field, Sean Buyer, Meritt |
| author_sort | Buyer, Meritt |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes abstract.|Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-103). |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7790 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:34:28.941Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | Department of Historical Studies |
| publisherStr | Department of Historical Studies |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7790 Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees Buyer, Meritt Field, Sean Historical Studies Includes abstract.|Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-103). As the world refugee population continues to rise, so the debate over how to best assist those who have been displaced intensifies. Humanitarian practices often have a disempowering effect on individuals instead of helping them to become self-sufficient. This problem is compounded by the gap between the realities on the ground and the overarching policies of both governments and organizations. In South Africa, the plethora of social issues, the lack of long-term solutions for refugee resettlement and the unsuccessful implementation of national policies relating to refugees contribute to the xenophobia that has become prevalent across the country. When the xenophobic sentiment turns violent, the Somali community has been targeted in the most extreme ways. Using the oral history methodology, this study draws on 17 life story interviews with Somali refugees residing in the Cape Town area. The interviews focus on the refugees' experience with humanitarian organizations and the government policy of their host country. By exploring their memories of Somalia and their relationship to their homeland, as well as their experiences in exile, it becomes evident that the Somalis' personal histories impact on how they negotiate the different forms of assistance that are available, or the lack thereof. Those who have had little control over their own lies in the past continue to have greater difficulty reaching their financial and educational goals, integrating onto South African society, and accessing the rights granted to them by law. Those who historically had some amount of agency continue to do so, despite the disempowering effects of mass assistance programs. In order for governments and organizations to be successful in their mission to assist and resettle refugees, they must have a more complete understanding of the history and cultural norms of assistance of the communities with whom they are working, as well as the realities of the current circumstances. The oral history method, with its ability to account for personal subjectivity, narrative authority, and historical agency, allows for in-depth exploration into the impact of policies created by the external bodies of international aid organizations, national governments, and local organizations at the grassroots level. 2014-09-30T13:40:43Z 2014-09-30T13:40:43Z 2007 Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7790 eng application/pdf Department of Historical Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Historical Studies Buyer, Meritt Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| title_full | Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| title_fullStr | Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| title_short | Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees |
| title_sort | beyond the refugee label identity and agency among somali refugees |
| topic | Historical Studies |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7790 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT buyermeritt beyondtherefugeelabelidentityandagencyamongsomalirefugees |