Experiences and the embodied practices of Bhutanese‐New Zealander teenage women: Young bodies, going out and sexual practices

Abstract

This paper examines the ways in which the lived experiences and the embodied practices of Bhutanese teenage women refugees are entangled with notions of ‘homeliness’, ‘being in place’ and discourses around mobility. For these women, constraints associated with cultural values can create a somewhat paradoxical ‘unhomeliness’ and feelings of ‘being out of place.’ The experience of being a refugee can heighten the importance of home as a refuge, and the desire to build a new home in a wider community. The results reaffirm the importance of investigating and theorising embodied practices in efforts to represent refugee lived experiences and the importance of home to structure notions of being a refugee in a new place.

An Ecological Approach to Refugee Youth Identity Development in Small-Sized Cities

“…Participant 1 believed that her family thought she was selfish and a "bad person", despite this not being the case, which resulted in her feeling as if her family did not really know who she is (Basnet, 2016). Therefore, Participant 1 demonstrated how differences can exist between how their self-perceptions and how their families perceived them (Bergquist et al, 2019).…”

An Ecological Approach to Refugee Youth Identity Development in Small-Sized Cities

“…This finding may also be related to gender roles, as girls are often expected by their parents to help out more in the home and to care for younger siblings (Dabbagh et al, 2017;Frounfelker et al, 2017). Previous studies have found that the gender of refugees is associated with different lived experiences (Basnet, 2016;Cajax & Berman, 2010;Hatoss & Huijser, 2010;Koh et al, 2013), as youth may be socialized along traditional gender lines (Deng & Marlowe, 2013). Traditional gender roles reinforce the idea that women belong in the house taking care of children, whereas men should engage in paid labour outside of the home (Hatoss & Huijser, 2010;Kim et al, 2004).…”

“…In addition, parents are more likely to monitor the activities and behaviours of refugee girls as opposed to boys (Basnet, 2016;Caxaj & Berman, 2010;Koh et al, 2013), which Participant 1 discussed in relation to her mother being at home more often in Canada due to a lack of employment, which gave her extra time to watch over her. These gendered expectations have implications for engagement in extra-curricular activities, parental monitoring, postsecondary education, hanging out with friends, and developing relationships (Basnet, 2016;Hatoss & Huijser, 2010;Koh et al, 2013).…”