Search Results (449)

Social sustainability has become a central concern in development-induced resettlement, yet little is known about how social integration and community relations are sustained over long time horizons. Drawing on a retrospective longitudinal ethnographic reconstruction spanning 21 years (2004–2025) of Three Gorges Dam resettlers relocated to rural Anhui, China, this paper examines the co-evolution of group boundaries, interaction strategies, and social networks between migrants and local residents. Using group boundary theory, we identify three sequential phases of interaction: initial boundary demarcation and social distancing, subsequent bridge-building through economic cooperation and relational ingratiation, and a later stage of pragmatic, transactional engagement. We show that the gradual erosion of migrant–local boundaries is driven by economic interdependence, cultural adaptation, individualization, and rural out-migration. Rather than resulting in deep social fusion, long-term integration stabilizes in a form of “thin integration,” characterized by low-density but sustainable social ties, institutionalized conflict resolution, and routine coexistence. This study conceptualizes social integration as a dynamic process of social sustainability, demonstrating how resettled communities maintain social order and functional cohesion amid structural change. The findings contribute to debates on sustainable rural development, forced migration, and the long-term governance of resettlement communities. Full article

Second language acquisition (SLA) is critical for refugee integration and a determinant of health and health care access. Although numerous studies have examined language barriers and health communication, the reciprocal relationship between health and second language acquisition remains underexplored in public health research. This qualitative study draws on interviews with twenty Syrian refugees (nine men and eleven women, aged 22–65) resettled in Norway. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two overarching themes were identified: (1) Learning under strain: health problems and post-migratory stressors constrained SLA; and (2) Relational support: reciprocal interactions with neighbours, colleagues, and volunteers enabled both language learning and functional health. These social arenas acted as low-threshold, health-promoting settings that mitigated isolation and strengthened belonging. The study highlights that language operates as a social determinant of health: inclusive, relational spaces facilitate both SLA and health by enhancing communicative participation and access to care. Refugee integration policy should therefore support accessible community spaces outside formal education to strengthen social inclusion, health literacy and refugees’ ability to navigate health and welfare services. Full article

The sustainability of reservoir resettlement depends on the synergistic development of resettlers’ livelihoods and host regions; however, existing studies lack an integrated analytical framework. Combining the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework with synergistic development theory, this study establishes a dual-system evaluation model comprising the Regional Development Support (RDS) and Resettlers’ Livelihood Development (RLD) indices. Using survey data from 289 households across 10 counties in Zhejiang’s QC Reservoir project, we apply composite weighting, coupling coordination modeling, and spatial analysis to evaluate the levels of synergistic development and examine spatial patterns. The findings reveal that (1) there is significant gradient differentiation in the Synergistic Development Index (SDI), with scores ranging from 0.134 to 0.738; (2) spatial autocorrelation is weak (Moran’s I = −0.089), reflecting industrial heterogeneity; and (3) four distinct coordination types are identified, with employment–industry mismatch and ecological constraints being the primary limiting factors. This study provides a diagnostic framework for assessing resettlement outcomes and offers guidance for formulating differentiated policy interventions. Full article

Employment promotion and employment realization are the core and fundamental problems in the resettlement of land-expropriated farmers transferred to citizens. To solve this problem, it is necessary to clarify the key factors and mechanisms that affect the employment behavior of “farmers to citizens” workers. Taking the labor force from land-expropriated “farmers to citizens” in the construction of Beijing city sub-center as the research object, this paper utilizes Logistic ISM to determine the key factors affecting the employment behavior of the labor force when changing from rural to urban, as well as the internal logical relationship and hierarchical structure among the influencing factors. The results show that only 40% of the migrant workers in the sample have achieved employment, while 69% of the unemployed population have a willingness to work but are limited by age, skills, and family factors. The logistic regression model identifies that the employment behavior of land-expropriated farmers is significantly affected by 10 factors, including gender, age, work experience, hobbies, employment demand, expenditure change, employment difficulty cognition, government training, policy satisfaction and social security. Among them, ISM further reveals that these factors form a three-level hierarchical mechanism of “structure–cognition–behavior”; gender, social security and policy satisfaction are the deep-root factors, and the intermediate factors, such as hobbies and government training, affect employment demand, employment difficulty cognition and other surface factors, and ultimately affect the employment behavior of land-expropriated “farmers to citizens”. Based on this, it is proposed to start from four aspects: differentiated employment guidance, policy transmission optimization, service efficiency improvement, and industrial driving, to systematically promote the realization of more comprehensive and stable employment for the rural-to-residential population, and provide institutional guarantees and practical paths for their sustainable livelihoods. Full article

Using the Danjiangkou Reservoir resettlement as a case study, this research adopts a policy lifecycle perspective to examine the evolutionary mechanisms of livelihood transformation and institutional adaptation under large-scale hydraulic development. The findings reveal that China’s resettlement governance is not merely an economic practice of resource redistribution and livelihood reconstruction but a deeper process of institutional learning and social reconfiguration. The transformation of Danjiangkou migrants—from administrative dependence to self-organized recovery and finally to development empowerment—reflects a structural shift in governance logic from control-oriented mobilization to collaborative and inclusive modernization. The study elucidates the dynamic interaction between institutional supply and social agency, arguing that the state acts not only as a resource provider but as an institutional recalibrator that fosters endogenous governance capacity through social self-organization. The identity transformation of migrants—from excluded subjects to integrated citizens—demonstrates that recognition, participation, and social capital are central to achieving social justice and sustainable governance. Practically, sustainable resettlement requires institutional flexibility and social empowerment, emphasizing long-term capacity building over short-term relief. The Danjiangkou experience reveals the deeper logic of Chinese modernization—a transition from control to collaboration, from survival to development, and from outsiders to citizens—offering valuable insights for equitable and resilient resettlement governance. Full article

This study aimed to understand the contributing factors to cohesion in women’s refugee resettlement networks in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In 2022, forty women across four networks participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews in an exploratory study into a social phenomenon of community-building with refugee women resettling on the island of Ireland. We identified four themes through reflexive thematic analysis. Motherhood and Strength of Relationships related to the networks’ interactions and effect on members’ lives, whereas Leadership Dynamics and Goal Setting and Problem Solving related to the networks’ structure and practices. This study offers evidence of how members viewed their networks as having a transformative power in the process of resettling their lives in Ireland for themselves and their families. Full article

Refugees often face significant barriers to healthcare access and integration, contributing to poor health outcomes. Although perceptions of health are known predictors of self-reported health status, little is known about how refugees themselves conceptualize health. This study employed a community-engaged, transformative mixed-methods design to explore refugee health perceptions in the Denver-metro area. Data collection included 149 surveys and 27 interviews with refugees and asylum seekers conducted between November 2018 and March 2019. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess associations between social determinants of health (SDoH) and self-reported health, while qualitative data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. The final regression model explained 75.8% of the variance in self-reported health (R² = 0.758, p < 0.001). Significant predictors included country of origin (Burma: −3.419, p = 0.030; Somalia: −9.155, p < 0.001), age (1.901, p < 0.001), sex (male: −3.252, p < 0.001), and education level (−0.999, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings revealed themes such as health as the ability to live life and health as happiness, each shaped by cultural context, community connectedness, and perceptions of safety. Integrating these findings highlights how structural conditions and culturally rooted understandings of well-being intersect to shape refugee health after resettlement. This study underscores the need for public health and clinical interventions that center refugee-defined priorities and suggests future research should incorporate constructs, such as happiness and culturally grounded notions of safety, that emerged as central to health in this study. Full article

Refugee children and adolescents face significant psychological and social challenges, especially in camps or during post-resettlement. We conducted a meta-synthesis of 24 qualitative studies including 870 participants aged 3–19 to explore how they perceive trauma, considering gender, age, and unaccompanied status. Thematic analysis identified five core themes: (1) mental health perceptions, showing reluctance to disclose distress due to stigma and cultural norms; (2) stigma regarding refugee status, reflecting societal prejudice and barriers to integration; (3) desire to belong, including social withdrawal, family cohesion, and religious coping; (4) gender-specific needs, with girls facing early marriage, safety threats, and psychosocial vulnerability; and (5) discrimination from host communities, including verbal, physical, and institutional exclusion. Participants reported pervasive emotional distress, identity conflicts, somatic symptoms, and disrupted social relationships. The findings highlight the complex, multi-layered impact of forced displacement. Thematic analysis proved effective for capturing lived experiences, coping strategies, and contextual influences. These results underscore the urgent need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed interventions addressing mental health, social support, and protective factors to promote the well-being and integration of refugee minors. The scarcity of research in high-risk camp and detention settings underscores the importance of qualitative inquiry to inform culturally grounded, multi-level psychosocial support. Full article

High-altitude cold regions suffer from severe diurnal temperature fluctuations and limited energy supply, posing persistent challenges for maintaining indoor thermal comfort. This study investigates how the spatial configuration and thermal buffer effect can be optimized to improve the energy and comfort performance of new-type vernacular housing in Lhasa, China. Based on field-measured data, two representative housing prototypes—a self-built U-shaped dwelling and a government-designed resettlement house—were modeled and validated using EnergyPlus through the Rhino/Grasshopper platform. Parametric simulations and multi-objective optimization employing the NSGA-II algorithm were conducted to optimize both annual heating load and heating-season comfort percentage. Results show that optimized configurations combining south-facing sunspaces, north-facing enclosed corridors, and attic buffer cavities can reduce heating load by up to 80% compared with the baseline model without buffer spaces, and increase comfort duration by more than 50% under identical envelope and climatic conditions. The findings quantitatively reveal how spatial hierarchy and boundary buffering synergistically enhance passive solar utilization and thermal stability. This research establishes an integrated form–space–boundary optimization framework for energy-efficient housing design in extreme climates and provides a transferable reference for sustainable building strategies in other high-altitude regions. Full article

The study examines refugees’ experiences in South Africa to understand how they perceive the country’s hospitality and the Ubuntu (“I am because you are”) principle that underpins its asylum framework. The study is relevant in light of refugee demonstrations demanding UNHCR resettlement to other countries. Grounded in the Critical Refugee Studies Collective, it employs a literature-based meta-analysis to explore how refugees interpret and respond to South Africa’s asylum environment. The findings show that while many refugees initially view South Africa as a place of safety, humanitarian practices that position them as dependent and passive recipients of aid can erode their sense of dignity and belonging. This tension has led some refugees to protest for recognition, improved living conditions, and respect for their rights. The paper argues that refugees’ perceptions of the South African state are shaped by their livability, meaning the quality and security of their lives within the host country. Those who experience relative stability express a stronger sense of acceptance, whereas those facing exclusion, poverty, or xenophobic violence often express dissatisfaction. The study concludes that improving structural conditions and promoting a rights-based rather than charity-based approach would enhance a more dignified environment for refugees in South Africa. Full article

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), the world’s largest water transfer initiative, is designed to address northern China’s acute water scarcity by diverting approximately 45 km³ of water annually from the south through three major routes, with completion targeted for 2050. This review demonstrates that the SNWDP has already improved water security for over 150 million people, stabilized groundwater, and supported agricultural and urban development, but also presents significant challenges, including escalating costs, large-scale resettlement, and substantial environmental concerns such as ecosystem alteration, salinity intrusion, pollutant transfer, and risks to biodiversity and water quality. While mitigation and adaptive management efforts are ongoing, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Notably, the SNWDP’s influence extends beyond China: by enhancing food production self-sufficiency, it can help stabilize global food markets during concurrent droughts and serves as a model—albeit a debated one—for large-scale water management and governance. The project’s hydropolitical and geopolitical dimensions, especially regarding the planned western route and potential transboundary impacts, underscore the need for international dialog and monitoring. Overall, the SNWDP exemplifies both the opportunities and dilemmas of 21st-century megaprojects, with its legacy dependent on balancing economic, environmental, and social trade-offs and on transparent, participatory governance to ensure sustainable outcomes for China and the global community. Full article

Children represent a large proportion of the world’s refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that as of 2020, there were about 27.1 million refugees worldwide, and roughly half of all refugees were under the age of 18 at any given time. The challenges that refugee children face prior to resettlement include interrupted education, repeated moves, exposure to violence, family separation, lengthy stays in camps, and poverty or deprivation. As a result of the experiences gained from an unexpected relocation, being the child of an adult refugee may be traumatic. But it is more damaging when laws enacted in the new host countries fail to take refugee children into account, which in turn could result in socioeconomic harm or gain for these children. In this policy analysis, the researcher intends to look at the socioeconomic outcomes of refugee children while trying to navigate their new home country. In essence, this analysis will use the multiple streams analysis framework to understand how refugee policies in the United States and Nigeria are enacted and their socioeconomic impact on refugee children. Full article

This conceptual paper analyzes the effects of Donald Trump’s 2025 authoritarian regime on refugees, the US Refugee Admissions Program, and resettlement. The second Trump presidency resumed his first term’s attempt (2017–2021) at seizing power. This time, his regime launched a more sophisticated authoritarian plan to destroy the US. His 2025 term is consolidating power in the president to target all forms of migration to the US, including dismantling the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) through executive overreach, circumventing statutory refugee procedures, violating human and civil rights, and disregarding judicial constraints. On 20 January 2025, he used Executive Order 14163, “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,” to indefinitely suspend the admission and resettlement of refugees for 90 days. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, with national interest and plans for a white nationalist state driving the decision. Refugees at any phase of the vetting process will be denied entry. Simultaneously, Executive Order 14169, “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” was signed on 20 January 2025, to pause the US dissemination of foreign aid for 90 days. Resumption would depend on a review determining foreign assistance alignment with national interests. The implementation of Executive Order 14169 further dismantled the USRAP infrastructure by stripping federal agencies of personnel and budgets that support resettled refugees through a “stop work order” issued by the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) on 24 January 2025. Refugee resettlement agencies, non-profits, and faith-based organizations are vital to welcoming and assisting refugees as they adjust to their new lives. These critical organizations are now struggling to provide services to resettled refugees. Additionally, escalated, arbitrary, racially profiled deportations of alleged criminal undocumented immigrants have increased anxiety and fear among resettled refugee communities. Subsequently, the Trump administration’s indefinite suspension of the USRAP, effective from 2025 to 2028 and beyond, will impact refugees, their families, and the resettlement network. Truly, the survival of the USRAP depends on an administration that upholds the Constitution, democratic values, and the significance of US diplomatic global leadership, replacing this regime. Full article

Refugees are a growing population in the state of Iowa. Many arrive through the state’s resettlement agencies, yet far more are secondary migrants—those placed elsewhere who voluntarily resettled in Iowa. Even amidst dominant discourses that either vilify immigrants or exclude them from the state narrative, refugees often hold strong claims to their new homeland. Drawing upon two years of ethnographic fieldwork with African refugees, this paper considers how, and under what terms, these new Iowans claim belonging. How are they building satisfying lives for themselves and their families? Where do they place themselves in Iowa’s present and future? Dominant narratives about the American Midwest in general and Iowa in particular, characterize the region as homogenously white and ideologically provincial and insular. I contend that African refugees are producing counternarratives about the region as (1) a place of opportunity, even for Black folks, (2) a place where anti-Black African racism and islamophobia are comparatively less harsh and (3) a place where they have built communities of support. In their responses to the persistent question, “why Iowa” I argue, that African refugees are authoring new narratives for understanding the American Midwest. Full article

Ethnic villages are a multidimensional interactive space between cultural inheritance and modernization; analyzing their spatial reconstruction is fundamental for promoting agricultural and rural modernization and sustainable ethnic development. This study examined ethnic villages in Yongcong Township, Liping Country, from 2016 to 2022, focusing on changes in function and suitability under relocation through a function and suitability evaluation index. Case comparisons were made between administrative villages with high functional and suitability levels and those with resettlement sites. In 2016, ethnic villages followed a growth pattern of Yongcong–Dundong–Guantuan, with low patch density, dispersed distribution, and simple shapes. By 2022, functionality and suitability significantly improved, with an increase in village patches and larger patch areas shifting toward spatial aggregation. Horizontally, land use within reconstruction boundaries diversified by function, whereas vertically, housing structures were reorganized: non-settlement villages retained traditional and modern types while settlement villages combined both, leading to a shift from functional singularity to multifunctionality. Relocation-induced reconstruction may lag local knowledge systems and reduce well-being. Initially, government-led suitability enhancement dominates; gradually, villages increasingly internalize regional identity and competitiveness. By analyzing post-relocation village reconstruction, this study supports the integration of ethnic and regional dynamics, achieving high-quality sustainable development in minority regions. Full article