For Indigenous PhD students who are migrants or refugees, pursuing a doctorate in migration studies is intellectually and emotionally a convoluted undertaking. These scholars offer a profound understanding of their field, conditioned by self-related histories of displacement and cultural and societal legacies. Their research addresses critical global dilemmas associated with people's displacement while overlapping with their subjective experiences and the stumbling blocks of acclimating to a new milieu. This hybrid role, both researchers and persons who have directly endured the phenomena they study, makes their academic odyssey significantly demanding. This blog is organised around three sections: The blurred lines between academic and lived experiences, the stigma of being a refugee in academic spaces, and the crucial role played by PhD supervisors in supporting these students. By examining these perspectives, I explain the way they manoeuvre their academic journeys and deal with exacerbating challenges while making postulating inputs to migration studies.
Academic and Lived Experiences Interlocked
These PhD students often question preponderant and established knowledge regarding their communities by instigating unconventional, embryonic, and revolutionized vantage points on migration. Their contribution promiscuously amalgamates the machinations of survival linked to their Indigenous group with the oft-centred narratives regarding their conceptualization of displacement, asylum seeking, and the integration laws regulating the whole process (BenDavid-Hadar 23-37). The two experiences are not only intricately intertwined, but they are also subjectively interplayed to a certain extent. Undertaking a PhD in migration studies is not only about building a working knowledge of concepts or governments' policies; it is about reoccupying and allocating assertive agency, scrutinizing the systems that have forged their journeys, and urging the recognition and rights of marginalized groups.
However, this deep-seated, staunch commitment to voicing their Indigenous groups' struggles from an academic standpoint can make the intellectual exercise mentally and emotionally immensely taxing. While one's memory cannot be muted, engaging in a "discursive construction of the past" by studying lived traumatic testimonies of the in-group will systematically trigger overwhelming memories. The bifunctional position as researchers and individuals deeply embedded in their study communities significantly burdens them. For instance, this complicated situation can be faced by an Amazigh student from Nefusa Mountains studying the persecution of the Amazigh people in Libya under Muammar Gaddafi. First, as a researcher, they must objectively produce findings for academic purposes. Second, as a member of the community, they are deeply connected to the emotional and cultural realities of their people, experiencing firsthand the displacement and the cultural erosion caused by years of forced Arabisation. However, by installing a functional equilibrium guaranteeing both academic prerequisites and the self-related texture of their research topic, these students may harbour a certain degree of objectivity.
The Stigma of Being a Refugee in Academic Spaces: Emotional and Professional Challenges
Migrant/Refugee PhD students face additional obstacles in academic networking, such as conferences and workshops. While these events are intended to boost intellectual exchange and career growth, they sometimes create a state of uneasiness and self-questioning for students navigating the social censure of being a refugee. Many scholars conceal their refugee status because they fear being judged or misunderstood. They are preoccupied with being viewed as biased or dismissing their contribution as unreasonably subjective because of their link to migration. This self-censorship is explained in Maté's study where he states that "people bearing trauma's scars almost uniformly develop a shame-based view of themselves at the core, a negative self-perception most of them are all too conscious of" (Maté 23). They sidestep debates about their backgrounds while concentrating uniquely on the academic dimensions of their identities.
While the decision to hide one's refugee status within academic spaces from peers most of the time seems to arise out of a fully conscious choice, it is indeed shaped by a trauma imprint. Overwhelmed by the anxiety of being left out or misunderstood by their peers, they may avoid attending conferences. For example, they might feel like the trauma shackles begin to tighten during networking in academic events. Instead of seizing the opportunity to disseminate their research and navigate life-changing professional relationships, they will be tormented by stress. “Trauma robs people of their freedom” (Maté 29); freedom to make a rational choice like concealing or sharing the migrant/refugee status. Such choices are underpinned by the need to build legitimacy in their academic writings, especially since their contribution is inscribed within the field of migration that requires objectivity and credibility. Instead of raising awareness about unexpressed experiences in their field, they normalize their fear of rejection, creating a coping mechanism for themselves: avoidance.
Challenges Faced by the Supervisory team:
A compassionate and proactive supervisor can make all the difference. For indigenous migrant and refugee PhD students, such a supervisor is far more than an academic guide. They become a mentor, an advocate, and a vital source of stability. An effective supervisor recognizes the emotional challenges involved in migration research, especially for students whose personal experiences are closely linked to their academic work. To prevent any form of discrediting, they foster a safe environment where students can comfortably share the hurdles they face without fear of judgment. By validating their students' experiences and encouraging them to embrace their unique perspectives, a supportive supervisor helps reduce the stigma associated with a refugee identity in academic settings.
Discussing a gap in the literature presents a considerable challenge in this type of research. The supervisor is not only cognisant of the complexities surrounding the topic but is also aware of the subjectivity of the student, including their academic and personal struggles. The student’s identity shapes the direction and scope of their research and their political stance in relation to existing political debates on the issue of land and belonging (Bryant 42-46). For instance, a student might argue that a well-regarded paper written by a prominent professor is fundamentally flawed, simply because the author failed to conduct fieldwork to substantiate their hypothesis, thus presenting misleading information about the indigenous group in question. Although highlighting such errors may initially seem advantageous, it ultimately acts as a barrier, hindering progress. In other instances, while fieldwork may be present, the researcher neglects to incorporate the voices of the Indigenous people themselves, instead focusing solely on reiterating and reinforcing the prevailing discourse pushed by elites who support certain dictatorial regimes. In this case, the supervisory team plays a vital role in guiding the student to articulate their contribution effectively, helping them navigate these challenges with critical insight while ensuring their work remains academically rigorous and constructive.
Conclusion:
Indigenous migrant/refugee PhD students offer invaluable contributions to migration studies by bridging the gap between lived experience and academic inquiry. They carry a profound emotional weight accentuated by their connection to their research project. Either voicing the marginalisation of the indigenous communities or their forced displacement, alongside the issue of homogeneity in studying their asylum application, these students are aware of the heightened sense of responsibility involved in their work and its outcome. Their journeys are fraught with challenges, from emotional tolls to societal stigma and systemic barriers. By fostering inclusive academic environments, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives, and equipping supervisory teams with the necessary tools, we can support these scholars in realising their potential. In doing so, we not only enrich the field of migration studies but also honour the resilience and wisdom of those who have lived the very stories they seek to understand.
Works Cited
BenDavid-Hadar, Iris. “Refugees in Higher Education.” Higher Education Challenges for Migrant and Refugee Students in a Global World. Ed. Khaled Arar, et al. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2019.
Bryant, Carol A. Kochhar-. “Higher Education as an Instrument of Social Inclusion for Displaced Students and Refugees.” Higher Education Challenges for Migrant and Refugee Students in a Global World. Ed. Khaled Arar, et al. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2019.
Maté, Dr. Gabor. The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture. HarperOne, 2023.
BIO
Nacera is a part-time doctoral candidate in International Relations at Keele University, United Kingdom, based within the School of Social, Political, and Global Studies (SPGS). Her research interests span migration, security studies, and the experiences of indigenous groups, with a particular focus on the intersections of these areas with psychoanalysis. Nacera has delivered seminars on securing social order and lectures on human rights and global politics. She has edited several issues of the IDEA Journal and co-edited the published book Uncanny Perspectives in Literature and Culture: Texts, Images, Experiences (2024). Additionally, she has held editorial roles, including serving as an editor for Under Construction Journal (no longer), an editorial assistant for the IDEA Journal, and a blog editor for the IMISCOE PhD Blog.
