Social Integration of Salvadoran Refugees

The Settlement experience of Salvadoran refugees

“…In his research, Parada (2012) notes the role of ethnicity in the negotiations of otherness ascribed to him by those in Canada. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that migrants from El Salvador are discriminated against based on their physical features, skin tones and language capabilities which all factor heavily into both perception of and ability to adapt to their new environment (Jacob, 1994;Young, 2001;Holt and Laitsch, 2016;Carranza, 2009). Despite the lack of a significant cultural or geographical Salvadorean community in the GTA, political organizing was substantial.…”

“…These structures are disrupted at the time of migration. New arrivals depend on their cultural communities to help reduce the stress of cultural changes, and many researchers have emphasized the importance of a social support network for all newcomers (Jacob, 1994). The lack of networks can create undue stress on individuals accustomed to larger support systems.…”

“…The numbers indicate the successive waves in which Latin American migration occurred to Canada, particularly regarding Salvadorans. Many post-migration variables can affect the settlement process of refugees, including their socioeconomic status (Jacob, 1994). The Salvadoran community in Canada has been characterized by low incomes, high poverty and high welfare dependency (Poteet and Simmons, 2016).…”

Ultra-Technological Refugees: Identity Construction through Consumer Culture among African Refugees in Israel

“…Refugees are indeed forced to leave due to sociopolitical circumstances, but they seem to organize their lives and form their identities in line with the socio-economic conditions in place in the new country (Horst 2006c). The majority of studies about the refugee experience in the absorbing country focus on the socio-cultural dimension in the assimilation process, for example the education system (Warriner 2007;Hatoss and Huijser 2010), government policy (Korac 2003;Nygard 2006;Dwyer 2010;Valenta and Bunar 2010;Juzwiak, McGregor and Siegel 2014), the refugees' cultural capital (Jacob 1994;Cheung and Phillimore 2013), or social entrepreneurship as the key for assimilation (Gold 1992;Lyon, Sepulveda and Syrett 2007). Indeed, in recent years there has been certain increased academic interest in the process of refugee integration into the economic arena, but still, only with respect to the public-institutional domain, and mostly focusing on the different aspects of the labor market (Hauff and Vaglum 1993;Krahn et al 2000;Bevelander and Lundh 2007;Bloch 2008).…”