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Item Journeys into exile : Tibetan women refugees and the migration experience : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2001) Roy, Leesa RachaelFocusing on refugee theories and concepts, this study utilises a qualitative research approach to analyse the migration experiences of a group of Tibetan refugee women living in exile in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India. The study examines the reasons why the women left Tibet, risking their lives to make the arduous journey across the Himalayan Mountains into exile, and explores their past, present and future hopes, the difficulties they have faced, and those that they are facing today. Data for the study were collected through various methods, including in-depth interviews, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), and Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis (CVA), stimulus pictures, informal conversations and personal observations while in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India. The Tibetan refugee movement is examined within its own socio-political context through an exploration of the historical background of the Tibetan refugee situation, including China's presence in Tibet, and the ways in which this presence has affected Tibetan refugee movements. The Literature Review examines the various migration and refugee theories and concepts that have emerged within academia, and assesses the conceptual gaps that are present within the existing literature. Focusing on contemporary Tibetan refugee movements, this thesis considers the question of why, after more than fifty years of Chinese occupation, Tibetans are still leaving Tibet to live in exile in India. The study then puts forward two models of refugee migration based on the patterns of migration expressed in the data.Item Learning English for a life of choice in New Zealand : a case study of Afghan women refugees' bilingual class experiences in Palmerston North : a research project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(The Author, 2015) Hermawan, Erika SorayaThis thesis looks at the experiences of a group of women refugees learning English as part of their resettlement in New Zealand. The women’s husbands were working as interpreters for the New Zealand Police in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. To ensure their safety after the New Zealand Police were withdrawn, these Afghan families were invited to resettle in Palmerston North, New Zealand. To attain in-depth results, this research report focuses on the women’s efforts to integrate within the social life of New Zealand and their experiences in acquiring English as a tool to their successful resettlement program. A small study was conducted in the context of an English Language Partners’ (ELP) Bilingual English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL)-Literacy class for refugees. Participants for this research were five Afghan women, two ELP’s ESOL teachers, and one of the women’s husbands. The methods used were semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observation, and curriculum analysis. This report is framed within adult pre-literacy education and investigates whether women refugees become empowered through taking literacy classes. Findings show that there are links between language acquisition within the refugees’ resettlement process and personal empowerment. Afghan women’s acquisition of English language skills has brought more personal control over their mobility and has changed relationships with their husbands to some extent since moving to New Zealand. Furthermore, the woman’s learning experiences have brought them to a level where they can move on from ELP to a higher English level class.
