From the Horn of Africa to Clarkston, Georgia: Subjective Well-Being of East African Immigrants and Refugees Público

Abstract

Clarkston, Georgia is a neighborhood of Atlanta known for its incredible degree of diversity and successful refugee resettlement program. This diversity has given Clarkston the nicknames, “the most diverse square mile in America” and the “Ellis Island of the South.” The purpose of this thesis is to measure the subjective well-being of the East African immigrant and refugee community in Clarkston, to develop a holistic narrative of the migrant experience, and to identify how the city of Clarkston contributes to this experience.

Migrants from East African countries in the Horn are of particular interest because of the conflict, poverty, and instability of these nations. Refugees and immigrants of these nations may face particular difficulties given their potentially traumatic backgrounds. This research was also inspired by Dr. Peter Little’s current project, “Cross-Cultural Insights into Well-being among Vulnerable Populations in Eastern Africa,” and the potential comparisons with the Clarkston community.

Research and ethnography primarily took place in Clarkston’s Campus Plaza – a shopping center that caters to the East African community. Interviews with community members were based off of Hadley Cantril’s Self-Anchoring Scale – a widely used tool in measuring subjective well-being. Semi-formal key informant interviews were designed to supplement this data and further explore the concepts raised in community interviews. The key informants included in this study are a medical doctor and a nurse practitioner of a non-profit clinic, the founder and director of a radio station that caters to the East African community, and a prominent Somali business owner. Challenges in working with the community, such as research fatigue, language barriers, and current political tension, resulted in complications to this research. However, these challenges and issues in politics also provided meaningful insight into the community.

            Respondents to the community interviews reported a surprisingly high degree of subjective well-being and life satisfaction. These results prompted the question of why perceived happiness was so high and what contributes to this sense of well-being. The key informants expanded on how the city of Clarkston provides a positive environment to immigrants and refugees but also discussed challenges, such as life adjustment, the impact of current politics, and gaps in health and nutrition. Facets of migrant life in Clarkston, such as local government, social support, and religion were further explored to assess their role in contributing to well-being. 

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND.................................................. 1

The Horn of Africa.......................................................................................................................... 2

Immigration..................................................................................................................................... 5

Clarkston, GA – “the Ellis Island of the South”........................................................................... 10

Well-being..................................................................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY..................................................................................... 14

Positionality................................................................................................................................... 15

Research Challenges...................................................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER THREE: FINDINGS............................................................................................... 20

Community Interviews.................................................................................................................. 20

Key Informant Interviews............................................................................................................. 31

CHAPTER FOUR: IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY AND ITS FINDINGS.................. 36

Politics of Clarkston...................................................................................................................... 36

Social Spheres............................................................................................................................... 39

Impact of Wealth........................................................................................................................... 42

Community Health........................................................................................................................ 43

Significance of Religion................................................................................................................ 48

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION................................................................................................... 51

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 54

APPENDIX.................................................................................................................................. 59

 

TABLES:

Table 1. Perceptions of Well-being and the Future....................................................................... 22

Table 2. Perceptions of Well-Being Data from the CIWEA Study.............................................. 28

 

 

FIGURES:

Figure 1. General Rating of Subjective Well-Being..................................................................... 23

Figure 2. USDA Food Access Research Atlas of Clarkston, GA 2010........................................ 45

Figure 3. USDA Food Access Research Atlas of Clarkston, GA 2015........................................ 45

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Anthropology
Degree	B.S.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Anthropology, Cultural
Palabra Clave	Anthropology, Refugees, East Africa, Clarkston
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Little, Peter, Emory University
Committee Members	Webb Girard, Amy, Emory University Hadley, Craig, Emory University

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