Serving the Tucson Refugee Community: A Snapshot of Key Issues and Concerns 2010-2011

This report was prepared by graduate and undergraduate student researchers at the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology (BARA) in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Building on work conducted over almost a decade during which BARA researchers responded to and initiated questions for study, the researchers set out to investigate several issues facing BARA, Tucson’s refugee community, and the myriad service providers in Tucson who interact with refugees. • Which challenges do refugees and the organizations serving them face, especially given the current economic downturn, and what strategies are they using to overcome those challenges? • How can BARA students and faculty work with resettlement agencies, refugee groups, and the Tucson community at large to be more engaged in solving the problems and challenges faced by refugees and service providers in southern Arizona? As the study progressed and particular issues emerged, the focus was narrowed to address the following questions. • How are the organizations that serve refugees in Tucson using cooperation and collaboration as strategies for surviving in the current unfavorable economic climate? • What specific roles do language and communication play in refugee resettlement? • Which groups at the University of Arizona are working with refugees and service providers, and what role can BARA play to help better coordinate efforts by all participants to serve refugees and service providers more efficiently and effectively