Limits of Social Capital for Refugee Integration: The Case of Gay Iranian Male Refugees' Integration in Canada

Abstract

Each year thousands of refugees, including racialized LGBT refugees, are resettled in Canada. Currently, economic independence is the foremost policy goal in integrating Canada's refugees. This policy often relies on social capital as a non-economic solution to integration. I draw on 35 multi-sequential interviews with 19 gay Iranian men to connect the empirical and theoretical debates around refugee integration and argue that over-reliance on refugees' deployment of social capital for integration has grave shortcomings for their senses of belonging. I suggest that examining racialized LGBT refugees' integration strategies best reveals communitarian social capital's flaws at the conjunction of sexuality, gender, race, and class. I draw on Bourdieu's writings on social capital to highlight internal group differences, social inequalities, and the vital convertibility between financial, social, and cultural capital in building transferrable resources for refugee integration. I conclude by urging policy-oriented studies of social capital.

Post‐migration psychosocial experiences and challenges amongstLGBTQ+ forced migrants: A meta‐synthesis of qualitative reports

“…The theme contains three categories: resilience and strengthening resources (ES 90%) (Alessi, 2016; Alessi et al, 2018, 2020; Alessi, Greenfield, et al, 2021; Cerezo et al, 2014; Dhoest, 2019, 2020; Golembe et al, 2020; Held, 2022; Kahn, 2015a, 2015b; Kahn et al, 2018; Karimi, 2020a, 2020b, 2021; Kostenius et al, 2021; Lee & Brotman, 2011; Logie et al, 2016; Mulé, 2021; Murray, 2014a, 2014b; Novitskaya, 2021; Oren & Gorshkov, 2021; Rosati et al, 2021; Wimark, 2019, 2021), identity formation (ES 62%; Akin, 2017; Alessi, Greenfield, et al, 2021; Cerezo et al, 2014; Dhoest, 2020; Golembe et al, 2020; Held, 2022; Kahn, 2015a, 2015b; Karimi, 2020a, 2020b, 2021; Lee & Brotman, 2011; Llewellyn, 2021; Logie et al, 2016; Murray, 2014a; Oren & Gorshkov, 2021; Rosati et al, 2021; Wimark, 2019), and establishing and maintaining social relationships (ES 45%; Dhoest, 2019, 2020; Held, 2022; Kahn, 2015a; Karimi, 2020a, 2020b, 2021; Mulé, 2021; Murray, 2014a, 2014b; Oren & Gorshkov, 2021; Wimark, 2019, 2021).…”

“…The theme contains three categories: intersectional challenges encountered as an LGBTQ+ forced migrant (ES 97%; Akin, 2017; Alessi, 2016; Alessi et al, 2018, 2020; Alessi, Greenfield, et al, 2021; Cerezo et al, 2014; Dhoest, 2019, 2020; Golembe et al, 2020; Held, 2022; Kahn, 2015a, 2015b; Kahn & Alessi, 2018; Karimi, 2020a, 2020b, 2021; Kostenius et al, 2021; Lee & Brotman, 2011; Llewellyn, 2021; Logie et al, 2016; Mulé, 2021; Murray, 2014a, 2014b; Novitskaya, 2021; Oren & Gorshkov, 2021; Rosati et al, 2021; Wimark, 2019, 2021), psychological reactions and manifestations (ES 86%; Akin, 2017; Alessi, 2016; Alessi et al, 2018, 2020; Cerezo et al, 2014; Golembe et al, 2020; Held, 2022; Kahn, 2015a, 2015b; Kahn et al, 2018; Kahn & Alessi, 2018; Karimi, 2020a, 2021; Kostenius et al, 2021; Lee & Brotman, 2011; Llewellyn, 2021; Logie et al, 2016; Mulé, 2021; Murray, 2014a, 2014b; Oren & Gorshkov, 2021; Rosati et al, 2021; Wimark, 2019, 2021), and practical issues related to resettlement and living conditions (ES 66%; Akin, 2017; Alessi, 2016; Alessi et al, 2018, 2020; Cerezo et al, 2014; Golembe et al, 202...…”

Exilic (Art) Narratives of Queer Refugees Challenging Dominant Hegemonies

“…More importantly, art practices offer a means of imagining beyond the limits of language (or playing creatively with language) via more sensorial, visual or emotional levels (O'Neill et al, 2002 ). Participants may feel more at ease communicating beyond the level of language, especially in cases where speaking in a second, third or fourth language is a challenge in itself (Karimi, 2020 ).…”