Reconstructing Lives, Recapturing Meaning: Identity and the Migration Experience

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Panelists:

Kathleen Allden, M.D.
Medical Director, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, Harvard School of Public Health; Director, Indochinese Psychiatry Clinic, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital

Andrew Bell-Fialkoff
Author, Ethnic Cleansing; Former Fellow, Center for the Study of Small States

Jane Schaller M.D.
Founding President, Physicians for Human Rights; Founding Member, Commission on Women and Children Refugees, International Rescue Committee

Moderator:
Joanne Rosenthal
EPIIC Colloquium

Torture, rape, deprivation, humiliation, political oppression, imprisonment, loss of family and home, alienation, helplessness, prejudice, poverty, excitement, anticipation, relief: all of these can be characteristics of the migrant experience. From beginning to end, the varied experiences of the migrant are physically and mentally taxing. The psychological trauma of torture does not end with the release of the victim, just as social and economic relief are not achieved upon arrival in a new home. In order to effectively help the migrant, one must first understand the psychological, social and economic conditions around which the migrant's daily life is based. What are the physical and emotional ramifications of trauma, and how does one learn to cope? Under what conditions did the migrants flee their homelands? How do migrants deal socially and emotionally with the displacement from their homes and the adaptation to a new culture? Under what conditions do migrants live in their adoptive country, and what pressures do they experience as outsiders?

Among the many factors considered when granting refugee status, torture and physical trauma are at the forefront. Many refugees are fleeing war-torn countries and have either been personally subject to, or borne witness to, torture and other scarring war atrocities. In addition to the physical and psychological trauma, the victim may feel a sense of humiliation or guilt and frequently they fear reprisal against themselves or their family members. The aftermath of trauma, accompanied by the added stresses of moving, can result in severe psychological trauma, leading to prolonged mental distress and social impairment. Psychological symptoms confronting torture victims can range from nightmares and insomnia to anxiety and low self-esteem, which is especially relevant to children. All of these conditions damage the migrants' abilities to adapt to their new environments, a mentally stressful task in and of itself.

While many migrants have been subject to horrific events, most have not been the direct victims of torture. Yet, they too are exposed to harsh social stresses which can lead to emotional and social impairments. The host country may have a completely different religious and cultural makeup, and may not be accepting of the presence of migrants. The migrants may face hostility and hatred in their new homes, a feature which is increasingly common in the world today. Migrants may not know the language or have the skills to compete in their new homes and are frequently subject to prejudice, all of which can lead to emotional disorders.

Torn from their homes and cast out of their histories, migrants must rebuild their communities and transplant their cultures. In the process of integration, migrants may become increasingly aware of their unique heritage and have in many places built up strong communities of their own people. The identity of the individual migrant, as well as the community as a whole, must be heard and accepted if the newly introduced culture is to survive the move. The identity of the migrant, however, is by no means constant. In their homelands, they may have had prestige or social importance, yet as immigrants they frequently become social scapegoats and outcasts in the host country. In their homelands, these people may have been singled out by their religious or political differences and not accepted by their own country. Yet as immigrants, the identity attached to them is that of national origin, the very identities whose denial of which forced them to move in the first place.

Under the changing political and social conditions of today's world, migration has reached an all time high. More and more people are being subjected to the stresses of displacement and adjustment to new cultures. A first step in providing assistance is an awareness and understanding of this transitional process.