Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

African refugee women (ARW) flee from their home countries due to civil unrest, war, and persecution and migrate to Western countries such as the United States in search of a safe haven. Moving from collectivist societies into individualistic societies poses a set of challenges for the migrating women. A qualitative research study was conducted in an Upper Midwest Community in the United States. Refugee women of African descent who were 40 years and above were targeted. The study unveils integrations experiences from the standpoint of ARW while transitioning into new societies. Through the women’s narratives collected during in-depth interviews, findings elaborating on Emile Durkheim’s seminal concept of anomie, social exclusion/isolation and Robert Merton’s concept of retreatism as a mode of adaptation are presented. Although the study does not claim universal representation of ARW, it presents avenues for realizing successful integration as articulated by the women.