The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life. / Olwig, Karen Fog.

In: Ethnos, Vol. 88, No. 1, 2023, p. 52-68.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Olwig, KF 2023, 'The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life', Ethnos, vol. 88, no. 1, pp. 52-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606

APA

Olwig, K. F. (2023). The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life. Ethnos, 88(1), 52-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606

Vancouver

Olwig KF. The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life. Ethnos. 2023;88(1):52-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606

Author

Olwig, Karen Fog. / The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life. In: Ethnos. 2023 ; Vol. 88, No. 1. pp. 52-68.

Bibtex

@article{4e169c4a1e6047f983e35fb0334edb18,
title = "The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life",
abstract = "Refugee studies have emphasised the precarious condition of those who are forced to flee from their {\textquoteleft}home{\textquoteright} country, yet unable to end their flight by gaining the right to settle in another country. Such concern has generated a critical scholarly narrative of refugees{\textquoteright} displacement in a situation of rightless {\textquoteleft}permanent temporariness{\textquoteright} characterised by uncertainty, stasis and meaninglessness. This analysis of Abdul{\textquoteright}s story of his refugee life explores how he, by foregrounding his pursuit of specific objectives, or ends, defined by personal, social or existential concerns, highlighted achievements and endings that engendered a sense of purpose, agency and empowerment despite his failure to reach the final end to his unsettled state as a refugee. This underscores the importance of not being blinded by powerful teleological narratives preoccupied with a final end that never comes, but recognising more specific, variegated ends and endings giving life direction and meaning even under difficult conditions.",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, Refugees, temporariness, uncertainty, agency, asylum, Denmark",
author = "Olwig, {Karen Fog}",
year = "2023",
doi = "10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606",
language = "English",
volume = "88",
pages = "52--68",
journal = "Ethnos",
issn = "0014-1844",
publisher = "Routledge",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The End and Ends of Flight. Temporariness, Uncertainty and Meaning in Refugee Life

AU - Olwig, Karen Fog

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Refugee studies have emphasised the precarious condition of those who are forced to flee from their ‘home’ country, yet unable to end their flight by gaining the right to settle in another country. Such concern has generated a critical scholarly narrative of refugees’ displacement in a situation of rightless ‘permanent temporariness’ characterised by uncertainty, stasis and meaninglessness. This analysis of Abdul’s story of his refugee life explores how he, by foregrounding his pursuit of specific objectives, or ends, defined by personal, social or existential concerns, highlighted achievements and endings that engendered a sense of purpose, agency and empowerment despite his failure to reach the final end to his unsettled state as a refugee. This underscores the importance of not being blinded by powerful teleological narratives preoccupied with a final end that never comes, but recognising more specific, variegated ends and endings giving life direction and meaning even under difficult conditions.

AB - Refugee studies have emphasised the precarious condition of those who are forced to flee from their ‘home’ country, yet unable to end their flight by gaining the right to settle in another country. Such concern has generated a critical scholarly narrative of refugees’ displacement in a situation of rightless ‘permanent temporariness’ characterised by uncertainty, stasis and meaninglessness. This analysis of Abdul’s story of his refugee life explores how he, by foregrounding his pursuit of specific objectives, or ends, defined by personal, social or existential concerns, highlighted achievements and endings that engendered a sense of purpose, agency and empowerment despite his failure to reach the final end to his unsettled state as a refugee. This underscores the importance of not being blinded by powerful teleological narratives preoccupied with a final end that never comes, but recognising more specific, variegated ends and endings giving life direction and meaning even under difficult conditions.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Refugees

KW - temporariness

KW - uncertainty

KW - agency

KW - asylum

KW - Denmark

U2 - 10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606

DO - 10.1080/00141844.2020.1867606

M3 - Journal article

VL - 88

SP - 52

EP - 68

JO - Ethnos

JF - Ethnos

SN - 0014-1844

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 269910670