Critical Social Policy
Volume 29, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 191-215

Social policies and refugee resettlement: Iraqis in Australia (Article)

Johnston V.* , Vasey K. , Markovic M.
  • a Menzies School of Health Research, Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University, PO Box 41096, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia
  • b Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • c Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Abstract

In this paper, we analyse national social policies that mediate the experiences of Iraqi refugees in Australia. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with this population in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria in Australia, and a small town in country Victoria, we delineate how social policies can lead to visible (formal) and invisible (informal) exclusion of refugees. We use two Australian policies; temporary protection and regional resettlement of refugees, to demonstrate how official Australian government policies may negatively affect the integration experience of these new arrivals. Additionally, such policies have unintended consequences for support networks between refugees on different visa categories, and for social relationships between refugees and the broader Australian community.

Author Keywords

Settlement Asylum seekers Social exclusion Forced migrants

Index Keywords

Melbourne Victoria [Australia] state role resettlement policy immigration policy social exclusion governance approach refugee Australia social policy Australasia asylum seeker
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-65449133958&doi=10.1177%2f0261018308101626&partnerID=40&md5=f934f4bcef0ee794ec802e10dd04942f
DOI: 10.1177/0261018308101626
ISSN: 02610183
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English