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Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
International Studies
First Advisor
Kent Warren
First Committee Member
Barbara Kappler Mikk
Second Committee Member
Bruce La Brack
Abstract
This research study explored how intercultural communication factors such as values and communication styles might affect the interaction between Tamil asylees and their U.S. social workers. For this qualitative study, I interviewed 11 Tamil asylees and conducted a focus group with 3 U.S. social workers at an agency serving the Tamil participants. Based on the findings of this research as well as the literature review, this thesis reveals culture-specific information about Tamil asylees and highlights the implications of the research to the fields of intercultural communication, refugee studies, and social work. Findings revealed the following: culture general assumptions overshadow the complexity of values and communication styles when examined in context, refugees are a unique immigrant population and therefore should be the focus of more intercultural research, competent social workers seem to possess culture-specific and general intercultural skills, and social workers can apply the methodology of this study to learn about the values and communication styles of new refugee clients.
Pages
260
Recommended Citation
Hagadorn, Emily Josephine. (2004). Tamil asylees and U.S. social workers : intercultural communication in the context of refugee services. University of the Pacific, Thesis. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/592
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