Purchase this article
USD $22.00
Author:
Aynur de Rouen
Aynur de Rouen
Binghamton University, SUNY aderouen@binghamton.edu
Search for other papers by Aynur de Rouen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Aynur de Rouen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
USD $0.01
All currencies in US Dollar
Through interviews with Iraqi Kurdish refugees who are currently living in and around Binghamton, New York, this study aims to evaluate details about the impact of the diaspora on these refugees and its effects on the development of Kurdish identity. Specifically, it focuses on the narratives of refugees who have faced physical pressure and violence, cultural assimilation and ethnic cleansing in their homeland, which has left an indelible mark on their memories and identities. Lastly, these notes from the field articulate how collective memory gives voice to the shared Kurdish past, refugees’ experiences in diaspora and the importance of spreading memories of the older generations, particularly to second-generation refugees, in shaping identities and reconstructing place in the United States.