Examining refugees’ access to education in a transitory host country

This qualitative case study explores refugees’ access to secondary and tertiary education in the context of a refugee learning center in Indonesia as a transitory country. Using tenets of the capability approach and the social capital theory, the study examines how a refugee learning center helps fulfill refugees’ capabilities and facilitates the development of social capital for refugees by providing secondary and tertiary education pathway programs as well as how the center sustains the programs over time. To this end, the study drew on multiple publicly available data sources (e.g., annual reports, stories, audiovisual and digital sources, archival records, artifacts) produced by a refugee learning center and its support networks, which made it possible to conduct an in-depth analysis. A qualitative content analysis suggested that the pathway programs offered by the center could not only help refugees attain educational goals but also assist in fulfilling their capabilities such as applying to universities, enhancing resumes, building resilience, improving well-being, and becoming more employable due to having an internationally accepted credential. The study also illustrated how bonding social capital (e.g., opportunities for leadership, empowerment, and well-being) and bridging social capital (e.g., social spaces, intercultural exchange and integration activities, and teacher support) were developed. Likewise, the center was using aspects of linking social capital (e.g., advocacy endeavors and partnerships) in addition to human resource initiatives to sustain the programs. Overall, the findings provide insights into how a refugee learning center helps create environments to promote refugees’ sense of belonging and mitigate barriers to accessing education in a transitory host country. The implications for research, practice, and policy were discussed so that stakeholders could work collaboratively to transform recommendations into effective action that can enhance the capabilities and social capital of refugees currently in Indonesia and possibly elsewhere.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Karlin, Gina

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kang, Hyun-Sook
• Herrera, Linda
• Witt, Allison
• Hinze-Pifer, Rebecca

• Refugees
• Refugee Learning Center
• Education Access
• Capability Approach
• Social Capital Theory
• Pathway Programs
• Secondary Education
• Tertiary Education
• Qualitative Content Analysis

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Gina Karlin

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124158

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F124158