The Karen resettlement story: A participatory action research project on refugee educational experiences in the United States

Abstract

This study discusses Karen refugees and their education experiences in the United States via a participatory action research. A White male American English tutor and three adolescent Karen brothers took a road trip and visited with the Karen diaspora communities throughout the United States. Researchers in collaboration designed the study, collected qualitative data (interviews, participant observations, artifacts), and analyzed the data and identified five challenges facing Karen youth in-and out-of school: English language divide, parental involvement in their children's schooling, bullying, gangs, and gender. We discuss how involvement in such a participatory action research can promote new awareness and agency for minority youth. Furthermore, we suggest ways for teachers, school administrators, and community members to help refugee youth better adapt to their communities and schools.

Co-creating the Dialogic: How a Participatory Action Research Project Promoted Second Language Acquisition of Karen Youth

“…Gilhooly & Lee (2016) have demonstrated how a PAR project can help transform participants. These transformations can come in manifold ways.…”

“…Whereas the first author began writing academic papers (see Gilhooly 2015Gilhooly , 2016) and presenting at conferences, teacher groups, and pre-service teacher classes, the brothers began writing as well.…”

Mula Sa Masa, Tungo Sa Masa, From the People, To the People: Building Migrant Worker Power through Participatory Action Research

“…Hence, the objective of the research process and project is not just to create new knowledge (Lykes and Mallona, 2008). It also includes creating democratic space in which migrants can exercise leadership, acquire analytical tools and research skills, and apply it to the issues they face (Gilhooly and Lee, 2017). When we orient PAR into a broader political movement, the work of the project is ultimately geared towards mobilizing workers towards sustained collective action.…”

Rethinking Urban Refugee Resettlement: A Case Study of One Karen Community in Rural Georgia, USA.

“…Following the brothers’ advice, we used the Karen concept of tapotaethakot (translated as “informal conversation” Cho, 2010, p.197) and tried to make our interactions with Karen as informal as possible due to a cultural preference for informality. Our previous participatory action research study fully describes the ways we appropriated tapotaethakot (Gilhooly & Lee, ).…”