Learning to Listen: Communication Styles within Refugee Populations

Refugee camps are places of respite and recovery—or should be. Fleeing desperate situations through dire circumstance, families are greeted at last by sympathetic aid workers who’re there to help. Their transition from home to homelessness and get their needs met is a difficult one. But, despite the sentiment of goodwill, intercultural communication between UN peacekeepers and the people they help may be hampered by misunderstanding and miscommunication.

My aim for this paper is to briefly explore the causes and consequences behind these common fouls, and how, with relationships based on clear communication, this doesn’t have to happen. This is interesting and relevant because, due to miscommunication, families can go without medical attention, food, and shelter just when they need it most. My thesis is that the rebuilding of post-conflict societies can be greatly helped (or hindered) if peacekeepers and refugees can work together in partnership to achieve common goals.

What hampers communication between UN peacekeepers and the populations they are there to assist? Certainly there is no lack of good intention. But so many things can get in the way. Assumptions about another culture can interfere with actually seeing it for what it is, as can an inability to recognize one’s own cultural and historical context. There is also the delicate power balance between helper and helped (Luce, 1987). Other obstacles to communication include psychological barriers such as self-image, group vs. individual identity, emotions and perceptions. Cultural challenges might include gender attitudes or simple language difficulties (Dittmar, 2013). The effect of this lack of communication may be seen in increased dependence and vulnerability in the refugee population, and this sense of frustration can easily morph into anger (Petche, 2013).

How might this be addressed? It’s all about trust and forming partnerships in order to work together. It’s about listening and, in doing so, learning to understand. This is “essential for a reduction in people’s uncertainties and to give them the feeling that they are in control as much as they possibly could be” (Maasilta, 2011).

Communication needs to be as constructive as possible, from both perspectives (Reynolds and Valentine, 2011)—refugee and peacekeeper. Only in this way can it be effective; only in this way can positive change be enacted. Intercultural communication can succeed or founder given the proper catalyst. The result can be a nascent peace effort—or further descent into violence and despair.

Sources

Dittmar, J. (2013). On a mission to close a gap between UNHCR and refugees. HCD Connect. Retrieved from http://www.hcdconnect.org/stories/improving-the-communication-between-theun refugee-agency-unhcr-and-refugees-during-early-camp-set-up-of-refugee-camps/

Luce, L.F. & Smith, E.C. (Eds.) (1987). Toward internationalism. Cambridge: Newbury House Publishers.

Maasilta, M. (2011). Outsiders or active citizens? The role of oral and mediated communication in African refugee camps. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://aegiseu.org/archive/ecas4/ecas 4/panels/141-156/panel-148/Mari-Maasilta.pdf

Petche, N. (2013). A desert haven for 120,000 Syrian refugees fleeing the raging conflict. Yahoo News. Retrieved from http://uk.news.yahoo.com/zaatari-refugee-camp-syria170358067.html#aSPkAg0

Reynolds, S. & Valentine, D. (Eds.) (2011). Guide to cross-cultural communication. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

© Shaii Stone, 2013