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Refugee Perspectives on Transitioning from Higher Education in the United States to Life Post-Graduation
Get PDFIn 2019, only 3% of refugees had access to higher education. Using qualitative research methods of surveys and semi-structured interviews, this study explores the perspectives of two student affairs professionals and six individuals with formal refugee status granted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in possession of a refugee travel document, who have not yet been resettled and are pursuing higher education in the United States. It focuses on the students’ preparation for and transition to life post-graduation, since UNHCR supposes that pursuing higher education abroad may be a viable ‘complementary pathway’ toward resettlement, self-reliance, and/or legal solutions, and there has not been much research to either support or refute this. The study was guided by the following research question: What are the lived experiences and perspectives of students with refugee travel documents pursuing higher education in the United States, particularly focusing on their preparation for and transition to life post-graduation? This study provides valuable insights for various stakeholders aiming to support this often-invisible subpopulation of international students to succeed in higher education. All student participants envisioned that a tertiary scholarship might lead to a durable solution to their refugee status. While access to employment-based visas in the U.S. or elsewhere was an additional legal solution to which these students did not previously have access, the path to a permanent legal status in the United States or elsewhere remained fraught. As the findings demonstrate, it is important that any U.S. university or sponsorship organization developing a scholarship program for this population collaborate with UNHCR on its design and support these students’ paths beyond graduation.
Keywords: refugees, refugee education, higher education, student affairs, international students, resettlemen
Connections With(in): Exploring the Intangibles of Public Transit in Prague
Get PDFThis project explores the connection (physically and metaphorically) local users have to the public transit systems in Prague, recognizing and highlighting their gathered subjective experiences through a creative piece. The methods included a review of the history, planning, and development of the public transit systems (metro and tram) across time, as well the sociopolitical timeframe these occurred through. After rooting her knowledge within the relevant literature and history, the author asked six local users of public transit a series of 10 questions about their relationships, memories, stories, and feelings connected to traveling through the public transportation systems. These interviews and insights were then utilized to inspire the creative work, a 20 by 20ft 3D sculpture both physically and abstractly representing the transit systems in Prague. The final product was documented with an audio story and visual animation of the structure’s development
(Des)cuidando a quienes nos crían: Una exploración cualitativa del abordaje para el diagnóstico, la prevención y el tratamiento de la depresión posparto en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (2020) / (In)adequate care for those who raise us: A qualitative exploration of the approach to diagnosis, prevention and treatment of postpartum depression in the City of Buenos Aires (2020)
No full textAunque el embarazo y la maternidad están representadas como periodos de alegría, la llegada de un bebé es una transición significativa en la vida que también puede provocar sentimientos de ansiedad y depresión. La depresión posparto (DPP) es un trastorno de estado de ánimo que plantea consecuencias graves para ambas madre y bebé. Dada la vacancia de investigación en la Argentina, este trabajo pretende analizar el abordaje actual de intervención de la DPP en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Los objetivos específicos son: 1) identificar y describir el proceso de diagnóstico, prevención y tratamiento, y 2) indagar las percepciones de los profesionales de salud que trabajan con el tema de la DPP sobre las fortalezas y limitaciones de la estrategia actual. Esta investigación cualitativa y exploratoria se basó en entrevistas semi-estructuradas con diferentes profesionales de salud. Mediante sus reflexiones, se revela que hay un desconocimiento amplio de la DPP y además hay varios problemas estructurales. A pesar de estas dificultades, los profesionales emplearon un abordaje concienzudo e informado para acompañar a las madres en sus procesos de recuperación. Sobre todo, este trabajo hace hincapié en la importancia de concientizar sobre la DPP, introducir un protocolo coordinado para el cuidado a la salud mental materna y promover más investigación en este campo.
Although pregnancy and maternity are represented as times of joy, the arrival of a baby is a significant life transition that can also provoke feelings of anxiety and depression. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that presents serious consequences for both mother and baby. Given the lack of research in Argentina, this paper seeks to analyze the current approach to interventions for PPD in the city of Buenos Aires. The specific objectives are to: 1) identify and describe the process of diagnosis, prevention and treatment, and 2) examine the perceptions of health professionals who work with PPD about the strengths and limitations of the current strategy. This qualitative and exploratory study was based on semi-structured interviews with different health professionals. Their reflections revealed a widespread lack of awareness of PPD, as well as various structural problems. Despite these challenges, the professionals employed a conscientious and informed approach to accompany mothers in their journeys to recovery. Above all, this investigation emphasizes the importance of raising awareness of PPD, introducing a top-down protocol for maternal mental health care, and encouraging more research in this field
Tramitación social después del trauma colectivo: Un análisis de las respuestas colectivas en torno el trabajo de las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo de Argentina después de la última dictadura cívico-militar / Social processing after collective trauma: An analysis of the collective responses around the work of Argentina’s Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo after the most recent civic-military dictatorship
No full textEste ensayo investiga las respuestas colectivas al trabajo de las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo en la Argentina. Las Abuelas son un grupo de mujeres con hijos y nietos que fueron desaparecidos sistemáticamente junto con 30.000 personas durante la última dictadura cívicomilitar de 1976 a 1983. En 1977, las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo se juntaron para encontrar a sus nietos y nietas, muchos de los cuales habían sido entregados a familias cercanas a la dictadura. Aunque al día de hoy han recuperado más de 100 nietos y nietas, todavía falta más de 300. Esta investigación utiliza entrevistas personales y otras fuentes de primera mano para enfrentar el tema en cuestión. Los resultados demuestran que el trabajo de las Abuelas para la restitución de la identidad de sus nietos generó un proceso de tramitación colectiva del trauma de alcance social sufrido durante la última dictadura cívico-militar, a través de la restitución de la condición humana, la restitución de los lazos sociales y la reescritura de una historia colectiva. Aunque las Abuelas empezaron su búsqueda en soledad, su mensaje y su lucha ha alcanzado niveles mundiales y universales
¿Buscando estabilidad y encontrando crisis? jóvenes venezolanos en el estallido social chileno
No full textChile has long been recognized in Latin America as an island of political and economic stability, but in October of 2019, a student-led mass evasion of the Santiago metro sparked what has since been coined the ‘estallido social,’ or ‘social explosion.’ Protestors across the country representing a wide range of social movements are demanding myriad reforms to what they deem a broken neoliberal system rooted in policies created during Pinochet’s dictatorship. Current president Sebastián Piñera’s government first responded by declaring a state of emergency. The state leveraged the power of a militarized police force (los Carabineros de Chile) to quell the uprising, but protestors continued to flood the streets until COVID-19 and related quarantine restrictions made such large-scale mobilization impossible. The pandemic transformed large gatherings into a significant public health hazard and postponed the constitutional plebiscite originally planned for April until the fall.
Even before the disruption of the pandemic, the estallido introduced a powerful challenge to Chile’s seemingly infallible reputation for stability and economic opportunity, a reputation that has attracted an increasing number of immigrants in the last two decades. Currently representing 23% of the immigrant population, Venezuelans make up the migrant majority in the country. They left a home country characterized by instability, insecurity, and lack of opportunities, where almost all citizens—regardless of what social class they used to belong to—struggle to afford basic necessities due in part to uncontrolled inflation.
This paper aims to analyze the experiences of young Venezuelans in the context of the estallido. Using the concepts of social and migratory imaginaries and theories of cognitive framing, it explores how the uprising has challenged immigrants’ expectations of life in Chile and how they have constructed interpretations of the events that have unfolded since October. The results suggest that, while many may oppose the use of political violence as a protest strategy, they tend support the movement’s demands. The estallido appears to have catalyzed cognitive reframing processes shaped by factors that go beyond political positioning, including the basic desire for stability and lived experiences with protests in Venezuela. Thus, this paper attempts to honor the complex, dynamic experiences of young Venezuelans in Chile and pave the way for future investigations that will continue to provide nuance to current and dominant immigration discourses
Alimentando a México: Los Movimientos Indígenas y Agrícolas Contra las Políticas Neoliberales
No full textPara analizar la complejidad de la agricultura en México en este momento, es necesario analizar las políticas neoliberales de México. El Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte (TLCAN) marca un punto de inflexión para la privatización de las tierras agrícolas y los cambios de la dieta mexicana. Las políticas de los últimos cuarenta años han destruido la dieta de la milpa en México y la tradición del policultivo. Los cambios en la agricultura han destruido el suelo, y forzado a los pequeños agricultores a abandonar sus tierras y buscar trabajos diferentes. Hay una gran historia de resistencia indígena en México contra las políticas neoliberales que han luchado por una paisaje descolonizado y más equitativo. Estos movimientos buscan justicia para la tierra robada, y para el derecha a vivir una vida sostenible y saludable. En este documento, voy a investigar los cambios que los movimientos han logrado, y proponer formas en las que podemos lograr un futuro descolonizado en nuestro clima político
COVID-19’s Impact on Climate Change Research and Institutional Resilience in Higher Education in Vermont and Tanzania
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic impacts all sectors of society. It is necessary to understand how higher education institutions (HEIs) react to, adapt to, and build resilience in the face of such a crisis. HEIs around the world shifted how they deliver education to their students and struggled to adapt to a changing economy. Yet, there is little information on how HEIs bolster their resilience to exogenous shocks, like the coronavirus. This study assesses how the COVID-19 crisis impacted institutional resilience and climate change research at four HEIs: the University of Vermont (UVM) and Vermont Law School (VLS) in Vermont, United States of America, and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Tanzania, East Africa. Resilience in HEIs during COVID-19 provides insight into how such institutions may fare when faced with other crises, like climate change. Furthermore, the current crisis provides evidence of how these institutions can mitigate the effects of crises in the future. In this project, the focus of assessment is resilience related to community and funding in HEIs. Twenty interviews conducted with faculty, staff, and administrators at four institutions indicate that climate change research will continue at HEIs; however, there is concern, especially at institutions in Tanzania, about external funding. While each university differed in its decisions for the continued education of students, the two HEIs in Vermont independently turned to hybrid and online education, while the two institutions in Tanzania continued in-person classes based on a government order. The school most resilient to the COVID-19 shock was VLS. The other three HEIs made incremental changes to ensure educational services and research going forward. The project recommends four strategies to bolster institutional resilience at HEIs: institutions should act as independent communities and universities should strive to diversify their funding sources, guarantee faculty and staff members a voice in decision-making, and create flexible emergency plans disseminated across their institution. If acted on, the lessons learned by HEIs during the COVID-19 crisis can strengthen institutional resilience to other exogenous shocks, like climate change
Casablanca Bombings, Preventing Violent Extremism, Imam Training Program, Commander of the Faithful, Religious Pluralism
Get PDFFollowing the 2003 Casablanca Bombings in Morocco there was an increased concern in protecting the physical and spiritual security of the nation. The state immediately responded by issuing a large crackdown on Salafists where many were arrested, imprisoned, and deprived of their rights. Due to the rise of extremist rhetoric in the mosques, particularly in rural and impoverished areas, the state also responded by closing any mosques they deemed to not be promoting moderate Islam and removed their imams. Out of this, a Preventing Violent Extremism Program was created that was composed of security and religious-based policies. The security policies entailed increased intelligence and arrests, and the religious policies a promotion of a state-sponsored Moroccan Islam, the control of all religious institutions and education, and the development of an Imam Training Program. This paper seeks to examine the efficacy of the Imam Training Program in preventing violent extremism through the analysis of newspaper articles, scholarly pieces, and first-hand interviews. The purpose of this paper is to show that the Imam Training Program, and the broader Preventing Violent Extremism Program, are more effective in strengthening the power of the king as Commander of the Faithful and in limiting religious pluralism than in preventing extremism. This study contributes to the discussion of preventing violent extremism strategies by suggesting marginalization and socioeconomic adversity as targets for action
Integrating Education Abroad: Fostering Critical Reflexivity in Students
Get PDFThis Capstone research aimed to address a need in higher education internationalization, which was to bring more intentionality and integrated learning around education abroad. The research explored the ways in which educators help students effectively process and make meaning of their lived experiences abroad. The following questions were addressed: how can educators help students to critically reflect on what they gained from their education abroad experience, and on who they are in a larger global society? How can educators foster this critical reflexivity in students for life-long learning?
The conceptual framework explored key theories in student development, adult learning, and reflective learning theory and pedagogy, and literature was reviewed on intercultural competence and current research on education abroad pedagogy and programming. This framework was utilized as the theoretical foundation for qualitative surveys, interviews, and a focus group targeted to international education (IE) professionals at U.S. colleges and universities.
The findings demonstrated the need for intentional, programmatic supports for education abroad across the entire experience, including pre-departure, while abroad, and upon re-entry. Opportunities for guided, critical reflection should be present throughout, and international programs should be aligned with a student’s academic discipline and professional pursuits. Education abroad should be deeply integrated into the broader curriculum and within the structure of the institution, and it can be further supported through integration in individual disciplines. Collaboration and partnerships provide an opportunity for broader student support, and educators should continue to challenge and support students beyond the education abroad experience
What Does a Just Local Food System Look Like? Views from Worcester in a Changing Climate
Get PDFFood and climate are closely intertwined, with the high-emissions U.S. industrial food system contributing to climate change, while a changing climate produces new food system vulnerabilities, which will particularly impact those of the least means. This research is premised on the need to transform our food system, and to define what this vision looks like at the local level, while centering questions of power, justice and rights. It explores how groups, organizations and individuals engaged in local food system change envision transformation and understand corresponding social justice concerns, in a changing climate. It looks at opportunities for food and climate work to intersect, and perceptions of a Green New Deal vision.
Using a case study, I explore this topic through the perspectives of food system stakeholders in one small New England city, Worcester, Massachusetts. The findings indicate that visions for a just food system and pathways for change interact with broader ideas about the influence of extractive capitalism, neoliberalism, and structures of oppression. Those who centered broader social and economic transformation in their food vision tended to talk about food, climate and social justice as an integrated whole and to highlight the role of social movements. I found commonalities in ideas for the landscape of change, belief in knowledge-sharing and collaboration, and desire for municipal prioritization of local food. Recommendations include strengthening spaces to develop a more reflexive food justice approach, building collaborations that bridge food and climate, and heightening the municipal commitment toward a just, thriving local food system