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This book highlights the experiences of people with disability and their family members from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds who have resettled in Australia over the past decade. Based on in-depth life history interviews, the book details the challenges people faced as refugees adapting to a new country. Some of these challenges are consistent with those faced by people from refugee backgrounds, but the book sheds special light on difficulties which are specific to or exacerbated by the disability experience. Taking a scholarly perspective, the Angela Dew explores the implications of these challenges and recommends alternative approaches which may diminish the challenges and enhance the benefits that can accrue to not just the individuals seeking refuge, but the societies receiving them. Bringing together four conceptual frameworks-life course theory, ecological theory, social capital theory, and journey theory-the book explores how the application of these theories offers complimentary viewpoints to provide a deeper understanding of the experiences of people with disability from refugee backgrounds. By affirming that people with disability and their family members who seek asylum and those who are accepted as refugees in resettlement countries deserve safety, security and support following traumatic life experiences which are compounded by their disability, Dew offers a vision for a richer, more equitable society.
About the author
Angela Dew is discipline lead for the disability and inclusion team at Deakin University.
