An Exploration of Refugees’ Perceptions, Agency, and the Structural Conditions Shaping Their Lives in South Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21975264 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lawrence Vorvornator (0000-0002-4475-6665, University of Zululand, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 11 |
| Pages | 670 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-17 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/socsci14110670 |
| OpenAlex | W4416392659 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
The study examines refugees’ experiences in South Africa to understand how they perceive the country’s hospitality and the Ubuntu (“I am because you are”) principle that underpins its asylum framework. The study is relevant in light of refugee demonstrations demanding UNHCR resettlement to other countries. Grounded in the Critical Refugee Studies Collective, it employs a literature-based meta-analysis to explore how refugees interpret and respond to South Africa’s asylum environment. The findings show that while many refugees initially view South Africa as a place of safety, humanitarian practices that position them as dependent and passive recipients of aid can erode their sense of dignity and belonging. This tension has led some refugees to protest for recognition, improved living conditions, and respect for their rights. The paper argues that refugees’ perceptions of the South African state are shaped by their livability, meaning the quality and security of their lives within the host country. Those who experience relative stability express a stronger sense of acceptance, whereas those facing exclusion, poverty, or xenophobic violence often express dissatisfaction. The study concludes that improving structural conditions and promoting a rights-based rather than charity-based approach would enhance a more dignified environment for refugees in South Africa
Dignity · Forced migration · Hospitality · Perception · Refugee · African cultural and philosophical studies · Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees · South African History and Culture
Haunted Nature
Reviving Ancient Egypt in the Renaissance Hieroglyph
Exploring possibilities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ integration with churches in refugee response
Why qualitative methods are necessary for generalization
Applying the ‘Ceased Circumstances’ Cessation Clause
Loneliness and social isolation amongst refugees resettled in high-income countries
Non-refoulement Principle and Its Application to Refugees and Asylum Seekers Who Have Committed Offences in Africa
Livability” and “Ungratefulness”
My 35 Years in Mixed Methods Research
The End of Refugee Life
When does a refugee stop being a ‘refugee’? The social construction of refugeehood after cessation
Migrants and monarchs
Totalitarian Imperialism
Reclaiming 'Bare Life
| Highly cited | No |
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