NEW ISSUES IN REFUGEE RESEARCH Research Paper No. 124 Connected lives: Somalis in Minneapolis, family responsibilities and the migration dreams of relatives Cindy Horst International Peace Research Institute, Oslo Norway E-mail :
[email protected] July 2006 Policy Development and Evaluation Service Policy Development and Evaluation Service United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees CP 2500, 1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland E-mail:
[email protected] Web Site: www.unhcr.org These papers provide a means for UNHCR staff, consultants, interns and associates as well as external researchers to publish the results of their research on refugee-related issues. The papers do not represent the official views of UNHCR. They are also available online under ‘publications’ at <www.unhcr.org>. ISSN 1020-7473 Introduction Somalis have migrated and dispersed globally for centuries, but especially since the civil war, they can be found in almost every country. A lot of research has been done on Somalis across the world, focusing on stayees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), returnees, urban refugees, refugees in regional camps and resettled refugees. Yet there are many connections between the lives and livelihoods of these people in different positions. As such, a more integrated approach that studies their connectedness from the point of view of Somalis in different places is vital; both for an increased understanding of their situation as well as in order to improve the policies that affect their lives. Research has shown how transnational networks and flows of remittances, goods and information are essential for the livelihoods of Somalis in the Dadaab refugee camps of Kenya (Horst 2003).