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The role of shared social identity in mutual support among refugees of conflict: An ethnographic study of Syrian refugees in Jordan
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 12:22 authored by Khalifah Alfadhli, John DruryJohn DruryIn the midst of an unprecedented refugee crisis and the shortfall of aid organization resources, a shift toward utilizing the capacity for collective resilience in refugee communities could be helpful. This paper explores experiences of psychosocial social support among a community of Syrian urban refugees in Jordan, especially the kind of support that helps them deal with secondary stressors. We were specifically interested in the role of shared social identity as a basis of support and the sources of such shared identity. We conducted an 8-month ethnography that included observations and semi-structured interviews with 13 refugees. We found many examples of support among refugees, on both personal and collective levels. Some of this support was based on sharing the identity of “refugee” that stemmed from a sense of common fate. This is similar to the process identified in the literature on disasters. Psychological membership in the refugee group is stigmatic, but it can also lead to positive outcomes in line with the social cure perspective. However, we also found examples of support that were value-based or based on pre-existing interpersonal networks. Implications of the findings for models of group processes in stressful situations and the practical question of refugee support are discussed.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Journal of Community and Applied Social PsychologyISSN
1052-9284Publisher
WileyExternal DOI
Issue
3Volume
28Page range
142-155Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-03-05First Open Access (FOA) Date
2019-05-03First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-03-02Usage metrics
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