Resettlement

Morton Beiser

The Oxford English Dictionary's definition of resettlement , to “settle or cause to settle in a different place,” implicitly recognizes that moving can be voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary movers are generally called immigrants; involuntary movers are called refugees. Resettlement countries are typically preoccupied with selecting those immigrants most likely to make a contribution to the country and with establishing the legitimacy of refugee claims. They pay comparatively scant attention to what happens after opening their doors. Resettling in a new country is ever-changing and, according to some authorities, a lifelong process. The process involves establishing economic and social independence, creating capacities to build a future, establishing family and community networks, and developing tools, such as language, that make participation in the larger society possible. Although a general consensus exists that integration is the end goal of successful resettlement, differing definitions of the term create confusion. Governments, typically preoccupied with the ...

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