Living in Religious Time and Space: Iraqi Refugees in Dearborn, Michigan
Publication Date
September 1, 2007
Publication Type
Journal Article
Topic(s)
Conflict
Summary
Mental health assessments of refugees during and after conflict have relied heavily on Western psychiatric constructs and standardized scales, despite the overwhelmingly non-Western backgrounds of most survivors of contemporary wars. A strict dependence on the paradigms and language of Western psychiatry risks inappropriately prioritizing syndromes, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which, however important, are eclipsed by the concerns of local populations for whom indigenous idioms of distress may be more salient. Working in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest population of Iraqi refugees in the United States, 60 Iraqi refugee life stories were collected and analysed. These narratives provided rich data regarding the centrality of faith to the constructs of Iraqi identity, home, and future in the wake of political violence and exile. For these refugees, the description of the dislocation that results from uprooting is replaced by an alternative home that transcends time and space.
Key Takeaways
- The study highlights the significance of religious faith, particularly Islam, as a vital coping mechanism for Iraqi refugees in Dearborn, Michigan, assisting them in reconstructing their identities and finding a sense of community amidst displacement.
- Traditional Western psychiatric models for assessing trauma, often centered on disorders like PTSD, may overlook the cultural and religious dimensions that are crucial in understanding trauma among non-Western populations, such as Iraqi refugees.
- Among the refugees, there are varied perceptions of their new environment, with some viewing the US as a land of opportunity and freedom, while others feel alienated and express a strong desire to return to their homeland, reflecting a complex relationship with their identity and sense of belonging.
- The article underscores the importance of developing culturally sensitive assessment tools and treatment approaches that integrate the spiritual and religious frameworks significant to refugee populations, rather than relying solely on Western biomedical models.
- The study emphasizes a distinction between ‘country’ and ‘homeland’ for the refugees, with the US perceived mainly as the former, while Iraq remains the ‘homeland’ closely linked to their identity and emotional attachment.
- Iraqi refugees experience a complex set of social dynamics in Dearborn, influenced by ethnicity, religion, and past traumas, which shape their community interactions and the support structures they rely on for integration and adaptation to their new environment.
- Despite the transition to life in the US, many refugees continue to experience insecurity and exclusion, notably exacerbated by events like 9/11, which further impact their sense of safety and community acceptance.
Suggested Citation
Shoeb, M., Weinstein, H., & Halpern, J. (2007)
Living in Religious Time and Space: Iraqi Refugees in Dearborn, Michigan.
Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley. https://humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications/living-religious-time-and-space-iraqi-refugees-dearborn-michigan/
