Alison Aaron

Professor James Phillips

ENG170 – 22 Writing and Rhetoric

21 October 2020

How Education is Bettering the Lives of Refugees – Evaluative Bibliography

Demirdjian, Lala. Education, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers / Lala Demirdjian. Bloomsbury, 2012. Lala Demirdjian is a researcher who has worked for United Nations Relief and Works Agency, describes multiple studies about educating refugee children all over the world. Chapter 4 of her book, found on the library’s STL catalog discusses the education and community approaches placed on refugee children in Denver Colorado. These case studies stress the importance of the need for education for refugee children. The use of case studies will provide a strong background and strengthens my argument by providing a real life experiment done in America. “Isolated from their communities of origin, adult refugees are often on their own in navigating new social systems such as those associated with employment, health and education” (Demidjian 112). This is one of the main points I am trying to make, proving that starting education from a young age can save refugee children from becoming adults with more problems than they should have.

Garbern, Stephanie Chow, et al. “‘It Will Be a Weapon in My Hand’: The Protective Potential of Education for Adolescent Syrian Refugee Girls in Lebanon.” Refuge, vol. 36, no. 1, Spring 2020, p. 3+. Gale General OneFile Found in gale general onefile, Stephanie Chow Garbern argues that education is of the utmost importance for refugee children. She claims that it is not only a right for any child but also a necessity for a good and bright future for these children. Garbern uses 140 “first person narratives” (Garben)  and compiles outside sources to tie her argument together. To conduct her case study Garben used three different prompts for refugee girls over the age of 13 to pick from and answer. These prompts allowed for insight into the lives of refugee girls and the impact education or the lack thereof is impacting them. This study is important for my argument because it combines first hand experiences of refugee children and statistics to support the experiences these refugees face. 

Hoffmann, Marion, and Mariana Echandi. “Cuba’s free education system benefits refugees.” UN Chronicle, vol. 43, no. 3, Sept.-Nov. 2006, p. 73. Gale General OneFile, Marion Hoffman is a UNHCR regional representative for Mexico, Cuba, and Central America, Mariana Echandi is a public information assistant at UNHCR, Mexico. These women tell the story of Marie Rose, in their article listed in gale general onefile, who is a Burundian refugee who is now seeking education in Cuba after escaping threats of danger back home. She has left her husband and three kids but she is proud of her diplomas and feels education is helping her. Having a first hand account of a refugee’s experience fleeing her country for safety and finding sanctity in education will reinforce my argument with pathos. Combining the logos from my other sources, and the ethos from all my sources, this story will take the facts and statistics and make them human. 

“Impact of Armed Conflict on Children : Note / by the Secretary-General.” Refworld, UN General Assembly, 26 Aug. 1996, www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f2d30.html. The secretary general notes in the section on education the positive impacts of education on refugee children. This source was quoted and referenced in another one of my sources. Although it was published in 1996 it makes a very strong argument with examples that can be compared to my other sources. The use of clear statistics, analogies, and real life stories make my argument even stronger. This source will be very useful for my paper as it backs up my argument very strongly and in detail with many examples from multiple countries.  

Nikki van der Gaag. “Last weapon: refugees (in Ikafe) see education as the way … to a better future.” New Internationalist, no. 283, Sept. 1996, pp. 28-9. Gale General OneFile, Found in gale general onefile, Nikki van der Gaag used her position as Director of Gender Justice and Women’s Rights at Oxfam to go to schools in Uganda that are mostly filled with refugee children from Ikafe. She writes in her article about her experience visiting the schools and quotes from parents of the students to stress the desire for and importance of education for refugee children. “Refugees see education as the way — possibly the only way — to a better future” (Van der Gaag). Having my argument restated by someone with credentials to make an informed opinion will prove its strength and back up my points.