Access Type
Open Access Dissertation
Date of Award
January 2017
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Khari Brown
Abstract
With the removal of Saddam following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, life for all Iraqis changed for the worse, especially for minorities such as Christians, including Chaldeans. Considering the powerful push factors that have compelled Chaldean Refugees in the Detroit area to leave Iraq, the idea of returning to the homeland would seem like a remote possibility, however, these Chaldeans present an intriguing case, due to the fact that they are among the indigenous people in Iraq. Do their deep rooted ties to the homeland contribute to a desire to return? This research examines this possibility through an in-depth qualitative interview study that analyzes the push/pull factors involved in the decision to leave Iraq and to relocate to the Detroit area, as well as the push/pull factors pertaining to the potential decision to either stay in the Detroit area, or to perhaps return to the homeland. The theoretical perspective guiding this research is, “the myth of return.”
Recommended Citation
Byle, Joseph James, "A Narrative Study Of Chaldean Refugees And The Myth Of Return: From Chaldean Babylon To The New World" (2017). Wayne State University Dissertations. 1686.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1686