Browsing by Author "Buyer, Meritt"

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    Beyond the refugee label : identity and agency among Somali refugees
    (2007) Buyer, Meritt; Field, Sean
    As the world refugee population continues to rise, so the debate over how to best assist those who have been displaced intensifies. Humanitarian practices often have a disempowering effect on individuals instead of helping them to become self-sufficient. This problem is compounded by the gap between the realities on the ground and the overarching policies of both governments and organizations. In South Africa, the plethora of social issues, the lack of long-term solutions for refugee resettlement and the unsuccessful implementation of national policies relating to refugees contribute to the xenophobia that has become prevalent across the country. When the xenophobic sentiment turns violent, the Somali community has been targeted in the most extreme ways. Using the oral history methodology, this study draws on 17 life story interviews with Somali refugees residing in the Cape Town area. The interviews focus on the refugees' experience with humanitarian organizations and the government policy of their host country. By exploring their memories of Somalia and their relationship to their homeland, as well as their experiences in exile, it becomes evident that the Somalis' personal histories impact on how they negotiate the different forms of assistance that are available, or the lack thereof. Those who have had little control over their own lies in the past continue to have greater difficulty reaching their financial and educational goals, integrating onto South African society, and accessing the rights granted to them by law. Those who historically had some amount of agency continue to do so, despite the disempowering effects of mass assistance programs. In order for governments and organizations to be successful in their mission to assist and resettle refugees, they must have a more complete understanding of the history and cultural norms of assistance of the communities with whom they are working, as well as the realities of the current circumstances. The oral history method, with its ability to account for personal subjectivity, narrative authority, and historical agency, allows for in-depth exploration into the impact of policies created by the external bodies of international aid organizations, national governments, and local organizations at the grassroots level.
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    Negotiating Identity and Displacement among the Somali Refugees of Cape Town
    (2008) Buyer, Meritt
    Somalis form a growing proportion of the Cape Town refugee population. Forced to contend with poverty, xenophobia, unemployment and displacement, their stories offer a perspective on concepts of identity and belonging among refugees. Spatial displacement and the violence and fear that is behind it often leads to disruption of one's sense of home and belonging, the loss of family or family structures, and a change in lifestyle, all of which are central to one's construction of identity. This article explores the way in which Somali refugees create a collective identity that incorporates their nationality and their clans as well as their refugee identity. The ways in which they prioritise these three aspects is influenced by their current circumstances and their individual histories.