This book tackles the topical issue of asylum in the UK. It asserts that against a background of ignorance, racism and media bias, the Christian Church is called by God to show care of the marginalized. After exploring this call to offer hospitality, thr book examines the claims made against refugees – that they are lazy, uneducated or involved in criminal activity – and uses statistical evidence to show that these claims are largely unfounded. It explains the legal and factual basis of the asylum system and highlights the positive contribution that refugees make to the UK.
This book tackles the topical issue of asylum in the UK. It asserts that against a background of ignorance, racism and media bias, the Christian Church is called by God to show care of the marginalized. After exploring this call to offer hospitality, thr book examines the claims made against refugees – that they are lazy, uneducated or involved in criminal activity – and uses statistical evidence to show that these claims are largely unfounded. It explains the legal and factual basis of the asylum system and highlights the positive contribution that refugees make to the UK.
... and its place at the heart of practice to chapters on faith, transformation, dealing with feelings, and working with asylum seekers and refugees. The multidisciplinary approach covers much ground not previously touched upon, and every contribution demonstrates just how powerful and transformational passionate supervision has the potential to be. This book is designed for anyone working in the helping
This book shows how supervision provides a positive space for compassion, inquiry, reflection, and above all development. The chapters are written from a wide range of perspectives, all of which take a practical approach to supervision and show how transformative it can be when approached in the right way. Contributions range from explorations of supervision as a journey of life-long learning and its place at the heart of practice to chapters on faith, transformation, dealing with feelings, and working with asylum seekers and refugees. The multidisciplinary approach covers much ground not previously touched upon, and every contribution demonstrates just how powerful and transformational passionate supervision has the potential to be. This book is designed for anyone working in the helping professions, for whom supervision is an integral part of their work.
Subject terms:
religions, refugees, social work, social work approaches, staff supervision;
Mental Health Religion and Culture, 8(4), December 2005, pp.291-308.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
In William James' view, one function of prayer is a faith-based, conscious approach to a higher power when in distress. Accordingly, this study investigates the use of private prayer among Muslim war refugees from Kosovo and Bosnia. Results show that these refugees were highly traumatized and most counted on private prayer for coping with their wartime difficulties. Four major types of prayer
In William James' view, one function of prayer is a faith-based, conscious approach to a higher power when in distress. Accordingly, this study investigates the use of private prayer among Muslim war refugees from Kosovo and Bosnia. Results show that these refugees were highly traumatized and most counted on private prayer for coping with their wartime difficulties. Four major types of prayer familiar to Americans were employed by roughly two-thirds to 86% of this sample. As expected, most types of prayer were associated with both wartime traumatic distress and greater religiousness. Also, 77% used prayer so that their enemies would “pay for what they have done.” However, this type of prayer was predicted only by higher levels of education and not by religiousness or traumatization. The need for examining the general and specific social contexts of prayer, such as war and terror, and prayer itself, perceived as a common human experience, are discussed. A structural equation model indicated that war-related trauma was associated directly only with negative religious coping but indirectly with positive coping, mediated by levels of emotional distress. Religiousness was related directly only to positive coping. These findings are discussed with respect to their theoretical and clinical implications.
Many refugees have or develop psychic reactions in the form of crises when they go into exile . Some of these crises, which are of a traumatic and/or existential character, require professional help if people are to deal with them. Describes the course of treatment of a Kurdish man from Iraq who has been granted asylum in Denmark along with his wife and children. Sheds light on some themes which have an influence on his current life situation. These can be seen as general themes, in that one or many of them can also apply to many other refugees in exile. Also looks at communication in therapeutic work when an interpreter is involved.
Many refugees have or develop psychic reactions in the form of crises when they go into exile . Some of these crises, which are of a traumatic and/or existential character, require professional help if people are to deal with them. Describes the course of treatment of a Kurdish man from Iraq who has been granted asylum in Denmark along with his wife and children. Sheds light on some themes which have an influence on his current life situation. These can be seen as general themes, in that one or many of them can also apply to many other refugees in exile. Also looks at communication in therapeutic work when an interpreter is involved.
Subject terms:
psychotherapy, religions, refugees, communication, cultural identity;
International Social Work, 53(4), July 2010, pp.542-555.
Publisher:
Sage
As part of the fallout of the Iraq war, social workers may encounter Mandaean refugees, due to widespread persecution forcing many Mandaeans to leave Iraq. Mandaeans have fled to numerous countries including Australia, USA, Canada, and Europe. Due to their small numbers and pacifist values, some fear that the culture will become extinct unless the international community intervenes
As part of the fallout of the Iraq war, social workers may encounter Mandaean refugees, due to widespread persecution forcing many Mandaeans to leave Iraq. Mandaeans have fled to numerous countries including Australia, USA, Canada, and Europe. Due to their small numbers and pacifist values, some fear that the culture will become extinct unless the international community intervenes on their behalf. This article describes this formerly isolated cultural group. It reviews some of the basic beliefs and values that serve to demarcate Mandaeans as a distinct culture. It then goes on to provide practice suggestions to enhance the ability of social workers to provide culturally competent services to this community and to advocate on their behalf.
Subject terms:
multicultural approach, religions, refugees, spirituality, advocacy, cultural identity;
Aging and Mental Health, 11(1), January 2007, pp.37-44.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Religiosity is an important aspect of the life of older people, particularly in the Arab region where religiosity is an important part of daily social and political life. Studies have documented the relationship between religiosity and depression among older people, but none in the region. A total of 740 persons aged 60+ were interviewed in three poor urban areas of Lebanon, one of which was a Palestinian refugee camp. The questionnaire included five items on religiosity covering organizational and intrinsic religiosity. Depression was assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Score (GDS-15). Depression was prevalent in 24% of the older persons interviewed with the highest proportion being from the Palestinian refugee camp (31%). Results suggest that only organizational religiosity was related to depression and this pattern was only significant among the refugee population. Religious practice is discussed as an indicator of social solidarity rather than an aspect of religiosity. Minority groups may rely on religious stratagems to cope with their distress more than other groups.
Religiosity is an important aspect of the life of older people, particularly in the Arab region where religiosity is an important part of daily social and political life. Studies have documented the relationship between religiosity and depression among older people, but none in the region. A total of 740 persons aged 60+ were interviewed in three poor urban areas of Lebanon, one of which was a Palestinian refugee camp. The questionnaire included five items on religiosity covering organizational and intrinsic religiosity. Depression was assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Score (GDS-15). Depression was prevalent in 24% of the older persons interviewed with the highest proportion being from the Palestinian refugee camp (31%). Results suggest that only organizational religiosity was related to depression and this pattern was only significant among the refugee population. Religious practice is discussed as an indicator of social solidarity rather than an aspect of religiosity. Minority groups may rely on religious stratagems to cope with their distress more than other groups.
Professional Social Work, February 2006, pp.18-19.
Publisher:
British Association of Social Workers
A study of African refugees in Newcastle revealed a need to promote more awareness of safeguarding guidelines while improving understanding of non UK cultural practices. This article looks at some of the findings of The Children's Society study, which was undertaken in collaboration with the Local Safeguarding Children Board and a local refugee community organisation, African Advice North East
A study of African refugees in Newcastle revealed a need to promote more awareness of safeguarding guidelines while improving understanding of non UK cultural practices. This article looks at some of the findings of The Children's Society study, which was undertaken in collaboration with the Local Safeguarding Children Board and a local refugee community organisation, African Advice North East (ACANE).
Subject terms:
parenting, religions, refugees, user views, asylum seekers, child protection, cultural identity;
Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 25(1), 2006, pp.23-45.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This study describes and compares the integration experiences of two Black, East African refugee populations in a small town in the Midwestern United States. The authors demonstrate that Muslim Somalis and Christians from southern Sudan encounter similar structural obstacles to social and economic integration, but that their religious affiliations lead to sharply different opportunities and cultural strategies. This paper ends with a discussion of the implications of these findings for social work practice and the potential role of social workers as cultural brokers between new immigrant groups and the general public. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
This study describes and compares the integration experiences of two Black, East African refugee populations in a small town in the Midwestern United States. The authors demonstrate that Muslim Somalis and Christians from southern Sudan encounter similar structural obstacles to social and economic integration, but that their religious affiliations lead to sharply different opportunities and cultural strategies. This paper ends with a discussion of the implications of these findings for social work practice and the potential role of social workers as cultural brokers between new immigrant groups and the general public. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Subject terms:
immigrants, Muslims, religions, religious beliefs, refugees, black and minority ethnic people;
International Social Work, 55(4), 2012, pp.538-553.
Publisher:
Sage
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is currently administering a worldwide resettlement programme for refugees from Bhutan. In the context of the growing Bhutanese community in the US, this article describes a study examining the relationship between religious coping (using religion to cope with stress) and acculturation stress among newly resettled Hindu Bhutanese refugees in the US. Information was gathered through a survey of 112 refugees living in a large south-western US city who were over 18 years of age, had resettled in the US since March 2008, and who self-identified as Hindu believers. The study found that higher levels of Hindu religious coping and satisfaction with social support predicted higher levels of environmental acculturation stress and that religious
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is currently administering a worldwide resettlement programme for refugees from Bhutan. In the context of the growing Bhutanese community in the US, this article describes a study examining the relationship between religious coping (using religion to cope with stress) and acculturation stress among newly resettled Hindu Bhutanese refugees in the US. Information was gathered through a survey of 112 refugees living in a large south-western US city who were over 18 years of age, had resettled in the US since March 2008, and who self-identified as Hindu believers. The study found that higher levels of Hindu religious coping and satisfaction with social support predicted higher levels of environmental acculturation stress and that religious coping was also related to high levels of social stress. The authors discuss the implications of their findings that religion and social support can complicate the acculturation process.
Subject terms:
Hinduism, religions, resettlement, refugees, social networks, stress, communities, coping behaviour, cultural identity;
Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 29(1), January 2010, pp.71-89.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This study empirically and qualitatively analyses the prevalence and types of services at 1,392 ‘churches’ from the 1999-2001 Philadelphia Census of Congregations (total of 2,120 congregations recorded) which aim to provide help for refugees, immigrants, migrants and asylum seekers to settle into their new location and establish social ties to replace those severed or disrupted when they left their country of nationality for a new host country. The characteristics of 129 congregations showed they provided some aspects of social care provision for refugees and this study describes, in depth, 18 of those who provided such sponsorship. Congregational participation is not new, in the context that Jewish faith nongovernmental organisations were active in the resettlement of those fleeing the Holocaust, those fleeing Vietnam were embraced by many different churches, and a multi- cultural response provided sanctuary to Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees in direct violation of the Immigration Act in 1980. Refugee resettlement in the US is the highest of 15 countries who have agreed with the United Nations to do so. Various federal entities contract national and local non-profit agencies and voluntary
This study empirically and qualitatively analyses the prevalence and types of services at 1,392 ‘churches’ from the 1999-2001 Philadelphia Census of Congregations (total of 2,120 congregations recorded) which aim to provide help for refugees, immigrants, migrants and asylum seekers to settle into their new location and establish social ties to replace those severed or disrupted when they left their country of nationality for a new host country. The characteristics of 129 congregations showed they provided some aspects of social care provision for refugees and this study describes, in depth, 18 of those who provided such sponsorship. Congregational participation is not new, in the context that Jewish faith nongovernmental organisations were active in the resettlement of those fleeing the Holocaust, those fleeing Vietnam were embraced by many different churches, and a multi- cultural response provided sanctuary to Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees in direct violation of the Immigration Act in 1980. Refugee resettlement in the US is the highest of 15 countries who have agreed with the United Nations to do so. Various federal entities contract national and local non-profit agencies and voluntary organisations to provide financial and other support for refugee reception and placement activities addressing housing, clothing, food, medical, social and documentation needs for an initial 30 and extendable to 90 days, but the provision for “private sponsors” has come to encompass religious congregations.
Subject terms:
immigrants, Jewish people, migrants, religions, refugees, social inclusion, social care provision, spirituality, asylum seekers, cultural identity;