Religious expressions of spirituality by displaced Karen from Burma: The need for a spiritually sensitive social work response

Abstract

A series of events following the 7 November 2010 election in Burma triggered a large-scale displacement of majority Karen people from eastern Burma to the Thai side of the border. The authors were involved in a research project in which narratives were collected from these people to gain an understanding of the impact of this displacement on their lives. The essentiality of spirituality within their religious belief was a significant theme that arose from the data. This article relates to this theme and highlights the importance of developing culturally competent, spiritually sensitive responses into social work practice when working with people who have experienced displacement and subsequent trauma in their lives.