Matching Items (120)
Description
The goal of this thesis project is to provide insight into the lives of Syrian refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants who have left Syria for the United States within the last 6 years, after the start of the conflict there. I have interviewed individuals who come from different regions of Syria, are members of different religious groups, and who have different opinions in regard to the conflict in Syria. One of the questions that I was most curious to ask and have answered was why America was selected as the final destination for their immigration. Along with their backstories from their time in Syria up until their arrival in the United States, I did research into the immigrants' acclimation process, and whether they feel that private organizations or that our government have helped them in that regard. I also collected data to see what the average amount of time to find a job and become self-sufficient in the United States is for these persons and their families. Although most educated Syrians know French, English, and Arabic, I was proven right in my hypothesis that many refugees have come to the United States knowing little, if any, English. Research was done into the programs that are offered to these people and their personal efforts to learn English were also documented. The primary purpose of this thesis was to find the economic and social effects of Syrian immigrants in the state of Arizona, and hopefully, on a larger scale. It was very challenging to get exact numbers on the amount of refugees and impossible to get specific details in regard to their economic impact on the economy. In order to get an approximation, I read David Card's research into the Mariel Boatlift, which documented the economic effects of Cuban immigrants on the Miami labor market, and Semih Tumen's work, titled, "The Economic Impact of Syrian Refugees on Host Countries: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Turkey" which provides research-based analysis of the specific effects of Syrian refugees on the economy of Turkey. Conclusions for both the economic and social impact of Syrian refugees in the state of Arizona were made. Due to the current low numbers of Syrian refugees living in Arizona and the mentality that many of them possess, there is a net neutral economic impact. In regard to social impact, I was surprised to learn that the acclimation process for Syrian immigrants is relatively rapid, particularly when compared to other immigrant and refugee populations.
ContributorsGhazoul, John Anthony (Author) / Goegan, Brian (Thesis director) / Bonfiglio, Thomas (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
At odds with the Axis powers in the Second World War, the American government
began the task of dealing with an influx of Europeans seeking refugee status stateside, even before the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. American interest in the global situation, nevertheless, did not officially begin after the initial attack on the 7th of December. Before that date, the United States government had to address refugees seeking asylum from European countries. Often studied, German emigration to the United States at times took center stage in terms of the refugee situation after the Nazi regime enacted anti- Semitic legislation in Germany and its occupied nations, prior to the American declaration of war. France, however, had a crisis of its own after the Germans invaded in the summer of 1940, and the fall of France led to a large portion of France occupied by Germany and the formation of a new government in the non-occupied zone, the Vichy regime.
France had an extensive history of Jewish culture and citizenship culture prior to 1940, and xenophobia, especially common after the 1941 National Revolution in France, led to a “France for the French” mentality championed by Marshal Philippe Pétain, Chief of State of Vichy France. The need for the French Jewish population to seek emigration became a reality in the face of the collaborationist Vichy government and anti-Semitic statutes enacted in 1940 and 1941. French anti-Semitic policies and practices led many Jews to seek asylum in the United States, though American policy was divided between a small segment of government officials, politicians, individuals, and Jewish relief groups who wanted to aid European Jews, and a more powerful nativist faction, led by Breckenridge Long which did not support immigration. President Roosevelt, and the American government, fully aware of the situation of French Jews, did little concrete to aid their asylum in the United States.
began the task of dealing with an influx of Europeans seeking refugee status stateside, even before the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. American interest in the global situation, nevertheless, did not officially begin after the initial attack on the 7th of December. Before that date, the United States government had to address refugees seeking asylum from European countries. Often studied, German emigration to the United States at times took center stage in terms of the refugee situation after the Nazi regime enacted anti- Semitic legislation in Germany and its occupied nations, prior to the American declaration of war. France, however, had a crisis of its own after the Germans invaded in the summer of 1940, and the fall of France led to a large portion of France occupied by Germany and the formation of a new government in the non-occupied zone, the Vichy regime.
France had an extensive history of Jewish culture and citizenship culture prior to 1940, and xenophobia, especially common after the 1941 National Revolution in France, led to a “France for the French” mentality championed by Marshal Philippe Pétain, Chief of State of Vichy France. The need for the French Jewish population to seek emigration became a reality in the face of the collaborationist Vichy government and anti-Semitic statutes enacted in 1940 and 1941. French anti-Semitic policies and practices led many Jews to seek asylum in the United States, though American policy was divided between a small segment of government officials, politicians, individuals, and Jewish relief groups who wanted to aid European Jews, and a more powerful nativist faction, led by Breckenridge Long which did not support immigration. President Roosevelt, and the American government, fully aware of the situation of French Jews, did little concrete to aid their asylum in the United States.
ContributorsPalumbo, Alex Paul (Author) / Fuchs, Rachel G. (Thesis director) / Simpson, Brooks (Committee member) / Cardoza, Thomas (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
South Sudan claims the position of being the newest state in the world, formed by a referendum on separation from Sudan held in 2011. The referendum comes after a half a century of fighting, which led to the displacement of an estimated four million South Sudanese and the death of two million. The massive numbers of displaced people fled to Northern Sudan or surrounding countries, crossing borders and becoming refugees. A comparatively small number were repatriated into countries of second asylum, such as the United States. Arizona, a state with relatively cheap cost of living and a large amount of low-skilled jobs became a favored state for resettling refugees. In 2013, the South Sudanese population in the greater Phoenix area was estimated to be around 4,000. This paper is an exploration of the how South Sudanese refugee youth identify themselves, and find their place in a new country, and in Phoenix, without losing their roots. This paper concludes that South Sudanese refugee youth have a hyphenated identity. They identify as both proud South Sudanese and as American citizens. This identity is formed by strong ties to the South Sudanese community and education by parents on the one hand, and integration in American schools and norms on the other hand. Having a hyphenated identity also affects the work that these South Sudanese do and their relationships with South Sudan. This research also highlights the difficulties with theorizing immigration and identity, by placing discussions of integration and transnationalism in concert with the voices of actual immigrants. The findings in this paper are developed from 12 oral history interviews of South Sudanese in conjunction with existing scholarly literature on refugees, South Sudan, and identity.
ContributorsDooling, Carmel Inez (Author) / Holian, Anna (Thesis director) / Gallab, Abdullahi (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Mass media has played a central role in the construction of "illegal" immigration as a crisis, despite demographic trends suggesting otherwise, resulting in public concern and extreme policies. Additional coverage by local news has brought the issue closer to home, leading state legislatures to action. This project analyzes trends in a 10 year period in local news articles and state-level legislation about undocumented immigration in Arizona and Alabama. The representation of immigration as a threat has consequences for the lives of immigrants and what it means to be an American.
ContributorsGultz, Chrisanne Marie (Author) / Menjivar, Cecilia (Thesis director) / Doty, Roxanne (Committee member) / Diaz McConnell, Eileen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
On December 28th 2012, immigration authorities arrested my father and mother while grocery shopping. As soon as they stepped outside, immigration officers stopped them to be questioned. Jeopardizing my university graduation, I took on the challenge to fight court and petition my parents to not be deported. As a first generation born American, I have the power and the right to petition for the freedom of my parents. I was fortunate to be born in this country as a citizen and take advantage of all the opportunities given to me. Up until today, my family and I have done nothing but participate as good citizens. What I failed to realize is that one day our family would become deportation victims of the broken immigration system. There are currently between 11 to12 million undocumented people living in the United States with no pathway to citizenship. My father and mother were humiliated in jail, separated from the family for three months and suffered from emotional distress. It is imperative for me to share our family experience so others know the reality about illegal immigration. In this paper I aspire to leave the reader with knowledge and understanding about illegal immigration. The main purpose of my thesis is to retell my family's experience and the struggle we are still currently facing. The fate of my family was decided on March 25th 2013, and my family has been forever changed. We learned the valuable lesson that as Latinos in the community, we need to fight for freedom and speak on those that are undocumented and afraid.
ContributorsCalderon, Rudy (Author) / Larson, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Ovando, Carlos (Committee member) / Sanchez, Marta (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This paper reflects on the processes and outcomes of a multimedia storytelling project on undocumented, queer individuals in Phoenix. It weaves these stories into theories of intersectionality and social movements to give them context. Extensive research has been done on the separate experiences of undocumented immigration and queerness, but little research can as of yet be found on the intersection of both. Participants in this project stand at this intersection, and their stories demonstrate how the UndocuQueer experience brings unique challenges, and thus cannot be solely constructed by existing groups and norms. The web-based project can be found at: http://undoqmented.businesscatalyst.com/
ContributorsCline, Annika Susanne (Author) / Grzanka, Patrick (Thesis director) / Cheng, Wendy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Are there measurable differences between the human capital of the refugee children born inside and outside of the United States? If so, does the amount of time spent abroad before immigrating matter, and can we get an idea of what happens to this gap over time? Looking at the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS) 1991-2006, I examine standardized test scores and other indicators of performance of young Indochinese refugees and immigrants. This study finds evidence for a negative correlation between being born abroad and performance in selected metrics at the time of early adolescence. This is extended into a negative relationship between the lengths of time abroad before coming to the United States (age of arrival) and those same metrics. However, this study finds signs that this gap in human capital is at least partly bridged by the time of early adulthood. It remains unclear though, whether this possible catch up is reflected in other early adult outcomes such as household income.
ContributorsWatterson, Christen Brock (Author) / Schoellman, Todd (Thesis director) / Leiva Bertran, Fernando (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Literature on the undocumented population in the United States is rich, and is growing in the area of the 1.5 generation (which refers to undocumented individuals, typically under age 30, who have grown up in the U.S.), but is scant regarding the health of this population, how they alleviate illnesses and what resources they have to do so. While Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provides temporary benefits to undocumented youth, a DACA health gap persists. Even for those who are awarded DACA, when compared to their citizen counterparts, resources are still unequal. The 1.5 generation faces unique health challenges and even with policy progress, circumstances tied to their documentation status leave them reverting back to limited resources. In this study, ten members of this generation were interviewed. Findings show that they suffer from minor physical health challenges, but significant mental and emotional health challenges without the means to access adequate healthcare comparable to their citizen counterparts.
ContributorsDay, Elinor Gabriela (Author) / Estrada, Emir (Thesis director) / Perez, Marisol (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
On the Arizona-Sonora border, more than 3,000 bodies have been recovered in the 21st century as a result of a fatal government policy that forced migrants into the desert rather than crossing in urban corridors. Humanitarian aid organizations are stretched across thousands of square miles with virtually no resources, particularly in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (Cabeza Prieta), a deadly wildlife refuge in Arizona's West Desert. A lot is unknown about the West Desert, particularly from a human rights perspective of trying to strategize the distribution of humanitarian aid. One question is of particular importance, where does water already exist in Cabeza Prieta, and what is the quality of that water? In this paper, I will discuss the process of surveying water sources in Cabeza Prieta, display photos and maps to convey what I've learned from my fieldwork, and finally, discuss my findings and delve into a geographical analysis, focusing on the relation between human remains recovery sites and water sources.
ContributorsLeon, Gabriel Carlos (Author) / Warren, Scott (Thesis director) / Larson, Kelli (Committee member) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Do certain refugee groups better adapt and assimilate into society in Arizona? If this is the case, which factors contribute to this better rate of assimilation and what can other groups do to better assimilate into American society? Examining data from the Department of Economic Security and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, this study examined trends in refugee resettlement in Arizona. Specifically, trends involving socialization, employment, and education were examined. In addition to analyzing governmental data, this study involved the surveying of local refugees at random in order to gather data regarding the relationship between refugees' home countries and assimilation rates. This study finds evidence that there is indeed a correlation between refugees' geographical origin and their overall rate of assimilation. In order to determine this relationship, survey responses involving a variety of aspects of life in America were quantified. Specifically, this study showed that refugees from Latin America and the Middle East tend to assimilate better than those from Africa and other regions.
ContributorsLabban, Dillon Brendon (Author) / Mousa, Neimeh (Thesis director) / Sulayman, Umar (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05