Rethinking Urban Refugee Resettlement: A Case Study of One Karen Community in Rural Georgia, USA.

While refugee resettlements in urban areas have historically had negative outcomes, alternatives have not been adequately discussed. This study aims to shed light on refugee's rural resettlement via an ethnographic case study. The participatory action research team consisting of refugee youth and outside academics investigated two rural Karen communities in Georgia and three urban communities via semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Interview transcripts, field notes, video recordings of observations, and dialogues among researchers served as rich data for thematic analysis. We found refugees like the Karen, who came from rural agricultural backgrounds, benefitted from the familiar lifestyle of rural living. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of rural resettlement for refugees regarding community support, insecurity, inter-ethnic conflict, housing, employment, and cultural heritage and language maintenance. Community leaders and policymakers of refuge resettlement may use the findings in making decisions about the potential for rural resettlement.