'Community resilience or shared destitution?' Refugees' internal assistance in a deteriorating economic environment

How community physical, structural, and social stressors relate to mental health in the urban slums of Accra, Ghana

“…A rapidly growing body of literature has suggested that local social dynamics, specifically social capital and social cohesion, are powerful contributors to mental health (Aneshensel and Sucoff, 1996;Carpiano, 2006;Caughy et al, 2003;Cornwell and Waite, 2009;Curley, 2009;Fitzpatrick et al, 2005;Fitzpatrick and LaGory, 2000;Gary et al, 2007;Gutman and Sameroff, 2004;Kawachi and Berkman, 2001;Kim, 2010;Omata, 2012;Pearlin, 1989;Phan et al, 2009;Schulz et al, 2006;Thoits, 1995;Usher, 2007;Xue et al, 2005). Conclusions regarding the benefits of social capital and social cohesion are mixed, however, which reflects the complexity of the social processes by which they shape mental health, as well as lack of scholarly consensus on how to define and operationalize them.…”

“…According to the latter perspective, social capital takes the form of actual or potential resources that derive from social networks (Bourdieu, 1986;Carpiano, 2006). Social capital can benefit mental health by providing an economic and psychological safety net in an environment that lacks sufficient opportunities to meet basic necessities (Aneshensel and Sucoff, 1996;Carpiano, 2006;Caughy et al, 2003;Cornwell and Waite, 2009;Curley, 2009;Fitzpatrick et al, 2005;Fitzpatrick and LaGory, 2000;Gary et al, 2007;Kawachi and Berkman, 2001;Kim, 2010;Omata, 2012;Pearlin, 1989;Phan et al, 2009;Ross et al, 2000;Sampson et al, 1997;Thoits, 1995;Usher, 2007;Xue et al, 2005). In disadvantaged contexts, social capital may be vital for assistance with day-to-day tasks and vital needs (e.g., economic assistance, providing food, lending goods, child care, household repairs, transportation).…”

“…Norms of balanced reciprocity are difficult to enforce in economically deprived settings (Offer, 2012), particularly in the setting of sub-Saharan Africa where norms of communalism and sharing are emphasized (Jensen and Gaie, 2010). Consequently, residents who rely heavily on their more financially secure neighbors for assistance may experience shame and fear of future social exclusion as a result of having few resources to share in return (Offer, 2012;Omata, 2012). Moreover, economically advantaged residents who provide assistance for their neighbors may experience distress about depleting their own resources (Belle, 1982;Curley, 2009;Durden et al, 2007;Kawachi and Berkman, 2001;Kleit, 2010;Mitchell and Lagory, 2002;Omata, 2012;Phan et al, 2009).…”

“…Consequently, residents who rely heavily on their more financially secure neighbors for assistance may experience shame and fear of future social exclusion as a result of having few resources to share in return (Offer, 2012;Omata, 2012). Moreover, economically advantaged residents who provide assistance for their neighbors may experience distress about depleting their own resources (Belle, 1982;Curley, 2009;Durden et al, 2007;Kawachi and Berkman, 2001;Kleit, 2010;Mitchell and Lagory, 2002;Omata, 2012;Phan et al, 2009). Social interactions among neighbors may also invite discussion about personal problems and worries about community crime or other local stressors, which may be emotionally helpful for some residents but emotionally draining for others (Curley, 2009).…”

“Never had the hand”: Distribution and inequality in the diverse economy of a refugee camp

“…By the time of my field research in 2008 and 2009, the distribution of humanitarian food aid had been significantly scaled back, and further reductions took place as I collected data . In the wake of reduced humanitarian aid, social relationships, “petty trade,” and transnational remittances constituted vital livelihood strategies (Addo ; Boateng ; Dick , ; Omata ; Porter et al ; Tanle ; Teye and Yebleh ; Trapp ).…”