The Bhutanese (Lhotsampa) refugees of Winnipeg: A journey of empowerment, self-efficacy, and resiliency

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Date
2017
Authors
Skelton, Lucas
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Abstract
In 2007, approximately 108,000 Lhotsampa refugees had been displaced from their native Bhutan and were living in refugee camps in the neighbouring nation of Nepal. With the assistance of the Nepalese government, the Core Group on Bhutanese Refugees, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a resettlement initiative resulted in the redistribution of Lhotsampa refugees to several developed nations throughout the world including Canada. This study explored the stories of a group of resilient Bhutanese (Lhotsampa) refugees – from their expulsion from Bhutan to their lives in refugee camps in Nepal, and to their final journey to Winnipeg, Canada, in search of a more harmonious and peaceful life. The theory section of this study examines several themes including the effects of traumatization, the social process of empowerment, the theoretical perspectives of self-efficacy and resiliency, and the phenomena of culture. To supplement this research query two methodologies were deployed – narration and asset mapping. Narration presents a holistic picture of the events and experiences of the Lhotsampa refugees and their migration to Winnipeg. Asset mapping, on the other hand, outlines the tangible and intangible assets the Lhotsampa refugees identify and utilize to support their transition from life in a refugee camp to life in Canada.
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Keywords
Bhutan, Lhotsampas, Refugees, Resettlement, Empowerment, Self-efficacy, Resiliency, Bhutanese, Winnipeg, Nepal, Refugee camps, Trauma, Cultural adaptation, Narration, Asset mapping
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