Abstract
Using Pierre Bourdieu’s (1986) theory of social and cultural capital, this phenomenological study explored how access to cultural resources and social networks impacted refugees’ mental health during their U.S. resettlement. Interviews with six refugees and five staff members of local refugee agencies revealed two themes and eight subthemes. The main themes were (i) resources that achieved stability, and (ii) refugees’ acquisition of cultural resources required to thrive as citizens in their host country. Implications for counselors who work with refugees around the world and for future research are discussed.
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Interiano-Shiverdecker, C.G., Kondili, E. & Parikh-Foxx, S. Refugees and the System: Social and Cultural Capital during U.S. Resettlement. Int J Adv Counselling 42, 48–64 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09383-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09383-9