The perceptions of Quebec social practitioners of relations between fellow immigrants from countries experiencing violent conflict: Reported pitfalls and possible solutions for social interventions

Abstract

We found that social service agents who worked with refugees and were exposed to group dynamics over long periods observed varying levels of tension between exiled compatriots as well as limits to their relations. Consequently, most of them tried to work with mixed rather than homogeneous groups whenever possible. Most of the agents seemed to favour neutrality, at least in appearances, with respect to factors that could cause divisions within a group. By contrast, others would forego the neutral ideal and would not hesitate to harness the mobilizing potential of certain affinities among specific sub-groups within larger groups of compatriots.