Burmese refugee young women navigating parental expectations and resettlement

Abstract

Young refugee women have to navigate life in a new country, learn a new language and adapt to a new culture while juggling parental role, behavioural and academic expectations. This qualitative study explored how 10 Burmese refugee young women experience parental expectations pre-and post-migration, and the effect of resettlement on the parent–child relationship. The data was gathered using the semi-structured in-depth interview technique and thematically analysed The findings revealed changes in parental expectations as a result of resettlement leading to both role reduction and expansion. While playing the linguistic brokering role post-migration has tilted the power dynamics in favour of the young women, this was undermined by increased social restrictions imposed by parents, resulting in intergenerational acculturation conflict among some participants and their parents. Other implicit factors in causing intergenerational rifts are exposure to an egalitarian style of education and increased access to technology.