Coping with Displacement: Manifestations of Resilience Among Colombian Refugees in New Zealand
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates how Colombian refugees have exhibited resilience during their resettlement and adaptation process in New Zealand. The research involved 13 former Colombian refugees who were relocated to New Zealand from Ecuador, where they were acknowledged as refugees by the Ecuadorian government with the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). One of the motivations for undertaking this research was the scarcity of academic studies on Colombian refugees in New Zealand, as well as to examine how resilience is displayed by them following their relocation. Additionally, the aim was to contribute to the advancement of research on Colombian refugees in New Zealand and provide insights to all refugee organisations in the country regarding their resettlement and integration efforts. Oral history and ethnography served as the research methodologies in this study. Twelve semi-structured oral history interviews were carried out with the participants. Moreover, one focus group was conducted, and four participants shared their personal diaries. The outcomes of this research revealed that the resilience shown by Colombian refugees in New Zealand has been crucial in overcoming the obstacles of integration, particularly the challenges of limited English proficiency, mental health issues, discrimination, and unemployment.
Author: Alfredo José López Severiche
Institution: Auckland University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4404143974