From Afghanistan to Australia: An oral history study of loss and hope among Hazara refugees and asylum seekers

Abstract

<p>Hazaras, a persecuted minority from Afghanistan, number among those seeking asylum in Australia since 1999. Australia’s national histories and its debate over boat arrivals often exclude refugee voices. This thesis makes a significant contribution to knowledge by using oral history to record, present and analyse experiences of loss and hope among Hazara refugees through six in-depth case studies. Exploring the content and subjectivity of their narratives, it shows that Hazaras are fulfilling hopes and building successful lives within Australia when given the opportunity, but the legacy of persecution, loss, trauma, family separations and uncertainty can create prolonged crises or haunt them for decades.</p> <p>The thesis also builds methodological knowledge by sharing my process of becoming more adaptive when interviewing within cross-cultural and crisis settings. It demonstrates that deep connection to the narrator, recognition of the multiple ways in which they recount, and empathetic imagining of their experiences, alongside the interviewer’s own self-reflection, are key elements of gathering stories of trauma and bereavement. Being flexible during the fieldwork, yielding to the narrator’s cultural mores as needed, and being sensitive to their personal circumstances enable meaningful insights to be gleaned and ethical care to be upheld. Through this evolving practice, the voices of marginalised Hazaras have been recognised and amplified, enabling their memories to help shape, enrich, or unsettle Australia’s recent refugee historiography.</p>