Lost in transition: What refugee post‐migration experiences tell us about processes of social identity change

Abstract

This paper presents findings based on over 40 hrs of rich, phenomenological narrative interview data in which five Syrian refugees describe their experiences of transitioning to a new life in Brazil. Using the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC) as a framework for examining the relationship between a period of vulnerability, multiple social identities and wellbeing, interviews were combined with a “talking stones” technique. Key themes of identity “recovery” and “discovery” were consistent with the identity “gain” and “continuity” components of SIMIC. A theme of “adaptation” suggested that a process of continual identity construction and reconstruction is central to both outcomes. Further, themes relating to identity “constraint” suggests how some contexts can actively freeze identities, thus undermining agency and compromising wellbeing. The refugee stories analysed in this paper demonstrate how the SIMIC is a robust model for capturing many of the identity complexities within post‐migration life. Please refer to the supplementary material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

“…Although including ethnicity and socio-economic status as covariates did not alter the findings of the present research, future research should investigate how different stigmatised categories experience loneliness and transition processes. Mixed methods research may be particularly useful in this regard to help disentangle some of the nuance and complexities surrounding life transitions and loneliness (Ballentyne, Drury, Barrett, & Marsden, 2021; Ng, Haslam, & Haslam, 2018; Seppälä, Riikonen, Paajanen, Stevenson, & Finell, 2021).…”

Changes in Shared Decision-Making Roles and Perceived Stress in Syrian Refugee Parents Resettled in the Greater Toronto Area

“…These challenges may impede an individual's sense of belonging and overall well-being. Another potential challenge brought on by migration is a change in identity as the individual seeks to adapt to new social and cultural experiences (Ballentyne et al, 2020) and struggles to find a balance between previous and current ways of living, including new social roles. Berry and colleagues (1987) have argued that although the transition to a new setting is stressful, acculturative stress varies widely between groups and individuals and does not necessarily lead to negative mental health outcomes.…”

Why do People Engage with the Suffering of Strangers? Exploring Epistemic, Eudaimonic, Social, and Affective Motives

“…Participants often referred to social group membership when characterizing the stranger (e.g., children, black people). According to the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC; Haslam et al, 2021), social group membership becomes more salient when people face life-changing events (e.g., (forced) migration, natural disasters, human rights violations; Ballentyne et al, 2021;Greenaway et al, 2015). Research has shown that people going through life changes often develop (new) social group memberships (e.g., survivors' groups, patients' associations) that help them to face and cope with the situation through a sense of community and shared experience (Greenaway et al, 2016).…”