Feminist Borderland Theory and Karen Refugees: Finding Place in the Family

Refugee related issues have become more prominent in Western policy-makers' discussions as families fleeing oppression and unimaginable violence cross borders seeking safety and are sometimes resettled in host nations. In this paper we ask, how do resettled refugees negotiate their cultural identity in terms of physical and psychological 'borders' and subsequent power structures dictated by those borders? We apply a feminist borderlands theoretical lens to critically consider the resiliencies of members of six Karen refugee families (n = 14) resettled in the U.S. Using their words, we illuminate their lived experiences of identity and place, family roles and rules, and personal dissonant emotions of feeling safe and forced to flee their homes and families. We challenge researchers and clinicians to consider refugees' own explanations for balancing and reconstructing their lives as people living between borders.