An Examination of a University-based Refugee Speaker Series
Abstract The experiences of refugees migrating to the United States are complex and can be revealing and informative. During the 2016–17 academic year, a refugee speaker series was implemented thorough a collaborative effort between a faith-based university and a same faith-based refugee resettlement programme. In their shared geographical area, these organizations possess long-standing, faith-oriented commitments to rights and services for refugees, making the endeavour viable. Using connected learning (Belenky et al.1997) as theoretical underpinning, researchers collected quantitative and qualitative data to identify and describe the participants’ perceived impact from attendance at a refugee speaker event. This information can be useful when considering pedagogy for examining issues confronting refugees, as many Americans struggle with knowledge about refugee experiences and adaptation. The article concludes with recommendations for future research.