LEARNING IN ACTION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO KAREN RESETTLEMENT VIA PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH by DANIEL JOSEPH GILHOOLY (Under the Direction of Ruth Harman) ABSTRACT This qualitative research study is informed by my three and a half years participant observation within one Karen community living in rural eastern Georgia and the result of a participatory action research (PAR) project performed alongside three adolescent Karen brothers from 2010 to 2012. Such a fusion of methodologies is what Nelson and Wright (1995) describe as ‘creative synthesis’ where research is done both with and on participants. The first findings chapter (Chapter Six) analyzes how three adolescent Sgaw Karen brothers use online digital literacies to cope with resettlement. This component of the study explores the digital literacy practices of three adolescent Karen brothers as they attempt to navigate multiple institutions like school. Findings from this study suggest that newly arrived immigrant youth benefit in many social, psychological, and academic ways as a result of their online presence. The study looks specifically at how they use online spaces to (a) maintain and build co-ethnic friendships, (b) connect to the wider Karen Diaspora community, (c) sustain and promote ethnic solidarity and, (d) create and disseminate digital productions. This component of the study offers insights that can help teachers better understand their students’ out-of-school literacy practices and ways they can incorporate such digital literacies in more formal educational contexts. This study also provides findings about Karen resettlement via the collaborative enactment of a participatory action research (PAR) project between these three Karen brothers and myself. The findings from that component of the study relate to the educational experiences of Karen youth in four Karen communities in the US, two in the Midwest and two in the Southeast. These findings specifically addresses Karen (a) educational experiences prior to resettlement; (b) English language learning; (c) parental involvement in their children’s schooling; and (d) bullying and gangs. In aggregate, both methods provide teachers, community members, and service providers important insights into Karen resettlement experiences in the US. INDEX WORDS: Refugee resettlement, Immigration/Migration, Community and families, Digital literacies, Qualitative research, Collaborative research, Participatory action research, Youth education LEARNING IN ACTION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO KAREN RESETTLEMENT VIA PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH by DANIEL JOSEPH GILHOOLY B.A., SAINT BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY, 1993 M.A., SAINT BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY, 1995 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2014 © 2014 Daniel Joseph Gilhooly All Rights Reserved LEARNING IN ACTION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO KAREN RESETTLEMENT VIA PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH by DANIEL JOSEPH GILHOOLY Major Professor: RUTH HARMAN Committee: LINDA HARKLAU MARTHA ALEXSAHT- SNIDER Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2014 iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my mom, Audrey Gilhooly; and the three brothers who made this dissertation possible; Samber Htoo, Hser Gay Htoo, and Hse Ku Htoo. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would never have completed this journey without the love and support of my mom, Audrey. You were my biggest fan and kept me going through all my doubts and frustrations. You sustained me both physically (all the packages you sent of tasty goodies) and emotionally from start to finish. Many a day I was buoyed by my desire to make you proud. Those three letters, P-H-D, are for you. To the Brothers, I thank each of you. Samber, the stalwart professional, who always welcomed me with a smile and was always eager to learn and share. Your enthusiasm for research and your people is admirable and inspirational. Narko, the serious one, thank you for opening up and sharing on every topic. I am so proud to have observed and, hopefully, supported your development as a scholar and young man. Gola, thanks for making me laugh and bringing your own unique perspective to our talks. You have a gift to lighten the mood and demonstrate real integrity. Thank you each for teaching me about life, perseverance, and humility. To Channa, it looks like we made it. I thank you for your friendship and support during the darkest hours. You have graced me with your intelligence, perseverance, and incredible patience. I am a better man, scholar, and friend for having known you. Thanks to Mi Hyun Kim for all of her affection, encouragement, and support. You were always there when I needed you and your willingness to listen patiently to my complaints and to encourage me to continue will forever be remembered and appreciated. I would also like to thank EB for her support. Ours has been one crazy ride but we continue to recreate our friendship and I am happy to still call you friend. I look vi forward to our lifelong friendship and future work together. You have taught me much about life, self and what it takes to succeed in life. To the entire Karen community of Sandville, Georgia, thank you for welcoming me into your homes, sharing your stories, and most importantly for entrusting me with the care and education of your children. To all my little buddies; Lwet Wah Htoo, Hser Eh Taw Ta, Kler Soe, Grace, Christ Mu Say, Ehser Paw, Eh Taw, Sher Nay, Sher Taw, and Christ Mu Htoo, thank you. You provided me hours of fun, friendship and you gave my life a purpose. I am forever grateful for the affection you showed me and the love you provided me during this utterly lonely journey over the past 4 years. The way you continually ran out to greet me upon my arrival is indelibly marked in my memory and brings tears to my eyes just thinking about you. I look forward to watching you grow and I hope I will continue to be a presence in your lives. Finally, I want to thank my dissertation chair Ruth Harman for her guidance and support. I was not the ideal first advisee but we made it. Thank you for the freedom you allowed me and for your timely and helpful feedback on my writing. Also, thanks to my committee, Martha, Linda, and Michelle for their support and guidance. Martha, thank you for being so supportive and for patiently listening to me gripe. I will always remember our trip to Mexico and I am a better person for having met you. Linda, thank you for supporting me throughout my 5 years in the ITA program. The experience was a highlight of my time at UGA. Your faith in me gave me confidence and I appreciate your vii support of my award for graduate teaching. And Michelle thanks for stepping up when I needed someone. I always respected and appreciated your feedback. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiv SECTION I: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................1 Background ..................................................................................................2 Purpose of this Study ..................................................................................3 Research Questions ......................................................................................4 Context of this Study ...................................................................................5 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................5 Potential Significance of the Study ..............................................................7 Terminology .................................................................................................9 Organization of Chapters ...........................................................................11 2 THE PEOPLE CALLED KAREN ...................................................................13 Identifying the People Called Karen ..........................................................13 Karen Traditional Practices ........................................................................17 ix Karen Relations with the West ..................................................................20 The Karen Diaspora ...................................................................................29 Resettlement to the United States ..............................................................41 SECTION II: METHODOLOGY 3 A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..............................................................46 Criteria for Inclusion ..................................................................................47 Participatory Action Research (PAR) ........................................................49 PAR as Collaborative Action .....................................................................59 PAR as Transformative ..............................................................................60