A Qualitative Exploration of the Acculturative Process of Resettled Rohingya Refugees in the United States

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the complex, multi-directional acculturationprocess of resettled Rohingya refugees in the United States. By taking a phenomenological approach, the study aimed to expand the traditional parameters of acculturation research, exploring acculturation beyond mere social integration, and humanizing the acculturative experience. This study employed semi-structured interviews, facilitated in English, with eight resettled Rohingya refugees living in the United States. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and qualitatively analyzed to describe the phenomenon of the unique acculturative process as experienced from the Rohingya migration context. All participants were active in the Rohingya community as cultural brokers, interpreters, or community-based leaders. While all eight of the participants had unique experiences, five general themes emerged. Three themes captured the effects of prolonged exposure to institutionalized discrimination on resilience, acculturative experiences, and shifts in Rohingya identity, goals, and values. Two themes reflected the process of liberation to pursue wellness in the post-resettlement context. The findings demonstrate how Rohingya diaspora communities are overcoming oppressive conditions and defining liberation by creating cultural roots and establishing permanency.