Empowerment by Hope
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EMPOWERMENT BY HOPE: A phenomenological study on the health and wellbeing of African refugee migrants BARNABÉ ANZURUNI MSABAH Dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theology and Development at Stellenbosch University, South Africa Supervisor: Dr Nadine Bowers-du Toit Department of Practical Theology and Missiology March 2016 © Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration I, Barnabé ANZURUNI MSABAH, hereby declare that, by submitting electronically this dissertation, the entirety of the work herein contained is no one else’s but my own original work (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated). I also declare that proper acknowledgement has been duly credited to all the sources quoted or paraphrased. I have not previously submitted the dissertation in its entirety or in part, at any university, for obtaining any academic qualification. I am the sole author thereof. March 2016 Copyright © 2016 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Declaration | Empowerment by Hope Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract Ours is a century of migration. It has become more necessary for people to migrate than ever before in human history due to a variety of reasons including political instability and economic opportunities. The rate at which migration is increasing, nevertheless, poses serious challenges to various countries. South Africa is not immune. However, not all migrants migrate at will. For some, migration suggests recreation or acceptance of a job offer; but for others, it is a dangerous movement. It is forced and could mean permanent expulsion from home. Such is the case for refugee migrants. Theirs is a case of inconvenience; a case of expulsion from their territorial space and exclusion from socio-economic ownership. Although the end of the refugee migration is somewhat beneficial to an émigré for the reason that, in such a case, life is spared from various forms of persecution, the process of migration is itself detrimental since it involves serious challenges that affect refugees’ health and wellbeing. This study aims to encourage a paradigm shift in Theology and Development, proposing that hope and empowerment are an inseparable binary with affective dimensions on being and belonging. In this way, putting hope into practice is fundamentally an asset for improved wellbeing and significant in the process of recovery from illness. The study begins with a review of existing literature by six prominent scholars from various academic fields who have dealt intensively with hope. This is then followed by a discussion and analysis of the relationship between hope and empowerment in the development discourse within the African context. Finally, qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with key informants, and through focus group discussions with representatives of the refugee community in Cape Town is presented and analysed in view of understanding empowerment by hope. In addition to being an indicator of human dignity, the findings of this research indicate that, amongst other things, hope is a practical tool for holistic development. In the end, recommendations that collate hope and empowerment are proposed in order to assist role players such as faith communities, researchers and policymakers in developing appropriate responses for managing the refugee phenomenon, particularly as it relates to the health and wellbeing of refugee migrants. ii Abstract | Empowerment by Hope Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Die huidige, is ‘n eeu van migrasie. Weens ‘n verskeidenheid redes, waaronder politieke onstabiliteit en ekonomiese geleenthede, word mense meer as ooit vantevore in die geskiedenis van die mens, genoodsaak om te migreer. Die trant waarteen migrasie toeneem skep dus ernstige uitdagings aan verskeie lande. Suid-Afrika is nie immuun teen hierdie verskynsel nie. Verder, nie alle migrante migreer egter uit vrye wil nie. Vir sommige beteken migrasie vernuwing of die aanvaarding van werksgeleenthede, maar vir ander is migrasie ‘n gevaarlike beweging. Migrasie is dan gedwonge en kan permanente uitsetting uit hul tuiste beteken, soos in die geval van vlugteling-migrante. Hierdie tipe migrasie veroorsaak vir vlugtelinge groot ongemak, aangesien dit gepaard gaan met verlies van hul lewensruimte en uitsluiting uit sosio- ekonomiese eienaarskap. Alhoewel die uiteinde van migrasie in ‘n mate voordeel vir die vlugteling-migrant inhou, byvoorbeeld dat sy/haar lewe gespaar word van verskeie vorme van vervolging, is die proses van migrasie inherent afbrekend aangesien dit ernstige uitdagings meebring wat die vlugteling se gesondheid en welstand bedreig. Moedig die huidige studie ‘n paradigma skuif in die Teologie en Ontwikkeling aan deur voor te stel dat hoop en bemagtiging ‘n onlosmaaklike skakelpaar met affektiewe dimensies van “wees” [being] en “behoort” [belonging] is. Aldus gesien, is hoop wat omgeskakel word tot praktyk, fundamenteel tot voordeel vir die verbeterde welstand van migrante en dra dit merkbaar by tot die herstelproses. Die studie begin deur ‘n oorsig van bestaande vakliteratuur deur ses prominente kundiges vanuit ‘n reeks akademiese areas, wie intensief hoop bestudeer het. Dit word opgevolg deur ‘n bespreking en analiese van die verhouding tussen hoop en bemagtiging in die ontwikkelingsdiskoers binne die konteks van Afrika. Kwalitatiewe data wat versamel is deur semi-gestrukturede onderhoude met sleutel informante asook fokusgroep besprekings met verteenwoordigers van die vlugteling-gemeenskappe in Kaapstad, word dan aangebied en geanaliseer na aanleiding van die begrip van bemagtiging deur hoop. Die bevindings van hierdie navorsing voer aan dat hoop nie net alleenlik ‘n aanduider van menswaardigheid is nie, maar hoop is ook ‘n praktiese instrument vir holistiese ontwikkeling. Laastens, aanbevelings wat hoop en bemagtiging voortdurend saambind word aangebied, ten einde rolspelers soos geloofsgemeenskappe, navorsers en beleidmakers te ondersteun in die ontwikkeling van toepaslike optredes om die vlugteling verskynsel te bestuur, veral met betrekking tot hoe dit die gesondheid en welstand van vlugteling-migrante raak. iii Opsomming | Empowerment by Hope Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgements A thesis goes through different phases. Its final shape is often an outcome of comprehensive contributions from different people and various sources of knowledge or support. I, therefore, acknowledge that the final shape of this thesis owes its existence to all the people, events, experiences and even unforeseen circumstances that accelerated its progression or delayed its completion. First, I am thankful to my dear wife, Dr Susan Nyaga, with whom I have experienced great joys and great sorrows during the course of this academic journey. She encouraged me and provided the much-needed suggestions over and above the many hours of hard work she put into a comprehensive edit of the final document. I must confess; she made this academic burden a delightful and bearable load. I could not have done this so well without you, Babe! Thank you for being my life companion, my partner, my friend and my faithful love. I am thankful to Dr Nadine Bowers-du Toit, my academic advisor and mentor, for her remarkable supervisory guidance demonstrated through her timely feedback, informed suggestions, needed support, and the freedom with which she had let me work. During the course of this doctoral pursuit, she helped me unlock the ability to refine my existing research skills and acquire even more. Her attention to detail and passion for Theology and Development have greatly influenced the way I exert myself as a researcher and a scholar. Thanks, “Doc”! The financial assistance received through the University’s HOPE Project from the Faculty of Theology as well as the scholarships awarded through the Postgraduate & International Office towards the completion of this research are hereby acknowledged. I also acknowledge the usefulness of the facilities and services availed by the University of Stellenbosch for postgraduate students, particularly the prestigious Carnegie Research Commons and the reliable internet connection, without which the completion of this thesis would have been unspeakably a challenging task. The course Migration and Integration in Urban Contexts taken at the University of Oslo opened an exciting world of research for me. I here present many appreciations to Prof David Ley of the University of British Columbia in Canada. His lecture series had a major impact on my research prowess, specifically having introduced me to the concept of gentrification among many other theories relevant to the question of human migration within social science. iv Acknowledgements | Empowerment by Hope Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za A deep expression of gratitude is also accredited in a special way to my parents, Byelongo Sangara & Justine Mlebinge, who always fall to their knees presenting my case to God in prayer, as well as Germano Nyaga Rukangu & Margaret Kamene Mbwera, my parents in law. The Rev. Dr Hyung Kyu Kim has been to me a father figure, a prayer partner and a source of inspiration in many ways throughout my academic journey; the Gilchrists (George & Gael) supported me faithfully since my undergraduate years although I have never met them. The Limbouris (Achilles & Jacqui) have been there for me during my difficult moments.