Category: Masters Theses

Worcester Chamber of Commerce: Recruiting Minority Business Owners

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Title: Worcester Chamber of Commerce: Recruiting Minority Business Owners

Author: DiMaria, Ryan, Alexander Hull, Xikun Lu, Haopeng Wang, Jiacheng Hou, and Danning Zhao

Date: 2019

Description: Master’s paper, Clark University, School of Professional Studies

This report is based on a Capstone project whose purpose was to help the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce better market themselves to appeal to immigrant and minority owned businesses.

https://commons.clarku.edu/sps_masters_papers/48

Keywords: immigrant owned businesses, minority owned businesses, business owners, recruitment, marketing, small businesses

Refugee Case Files as an Indicator of Housing Needs

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Title: Refugee Case Files as an Indicator of Housing Needs

Author: Weilbacher, Molly

Date: 2018

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

This paper considers indicators from refugee’s case files at a local resettlement agency to delve into the question of how the agency’s reporting process can best serve resettled refugees in their ability to secure and sustain housing.

https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/217

Keywords: resettlement, agencies, housing, integration, indicators

Refugee Self Organization: The Effects of Organizations on Refugees

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Title: Refugee Self Organization: The Effects of Organizations on Refugees

Author: Hurmuzlu, Ayfer

Date: 2017

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

This paper addresses the following questions: How do refugees self organize themselves upon arrival to a new country? and How do self-help organizations help them transition into integration?

https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/116

Keywords: integration, organizations

Refugee Housing in Worcester: A Neighborhood Case Study of Bell Hill

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Title: Refugee Housing in Worcester: A Neighborhood Case Study of Bell Hill

Author: Maren, Tyler Seth

Date: 2020

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

This paper takes a case study approach to examine refugee resettlement practices at a neighborhood level. The author identifies neighborhood characteristics that contribute to positive integration and housing stability for refugees. 

https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/242

Keywords: housing, resettlement, integration, neighborhoods , Bell Hill

Vicarious traumatization and vicarious resilience: an exploration of therapists’ experiences conducting individual therapy of refugee clients: a project based upon an investigation at Family Health Center of Worcester, Massachusetts

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Title: Vicarious traumatization and vicarious resilience: an exploration of therapists’ experiences conducting individual therapy of refugee clients: a project based upon an investigation at Family Health Center of Worcester, Massachusetts

Author: Megan C. Walsh

Date: 2014

Description: Master’s Thesis, Smith College School for Social Work. This qualitative research project focuses on the experience of vicarious trauma and resilience among therapists with refugee clients. The author finds through interviews that therapists with refugee clients are often affected emotionally by their client’s reports of trauma, and that they successfully employ coping mechanisms. These findings support other research that therapists may experience vicarious trauma and resilience.

http://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/850/

Keywords: Therapy, Therapists, Trauma, Resilience

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Refugee Youth Challenges and Unique Needs in Worcester Public Schools that are Satisfied by African Community Education

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Title: Refugee Youth Challenges and Unique Needs in Worcester Public Schools that are Satisfied by African Community Education

Author: Heidi L. Biron

Date: 2016

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, Department of International Development and Social Change

This paper examines the challenges refugee youth face in U.S. public schools and the benefits of supplementary education programs. The author uses the African Community Education (ACE) organization in Worcester, MA as a case study of a supplementary education program, which she analyzes through participant observation, interviews with ACE’s staff and one focus group discussion with refugee youth from ACE’s programs.  Refugee youth often face several challenges that can become hindrances to their educational success, including: trauma, gaps in education, language barriers and stresses due to acculturation. The U.S. educational system lacks teacher training regarding trauma and hinders personalized attention for students. At ACE, teachers were described as better trained to work with African refugee populations, more patient and more personal in their teaching methods. The structure of the program focused on providing support to improve behavior as well as educational achievement, and the environment was described as more comfortable because of the similarities among students and staff.

https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/176

Keywords: Refugee Youth, African Refugees, Supplementary Education Programs

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

“Refugee Industrial Complex,” Neoliberal Governance within the Resettlement Industry and Its Effects: Is An Alternative Structure Possible?

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Title: “Refugee Industrial Complex,” Neoliberal Governance within the Resettlement Industry and Its Effects: Is An Alternative Structure Possible?

Author: Al-Dasouqui, Amira F.

Date: 2016

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, Community Development and Planning, Department of International Development, Community and Environment

This paper examines the U.S. Refugee Resettlement System and uses the author’s experience working at Ascentria Care Alliance in Worcester, MA as a case study. The author argues that the resettlement system has been largely affected by neoliberalism, privatization, and a decreased role of the state in ensuring the public welfare. The author shows how these trends have led to a decrease in direct assistance and oversight from the federal government and an increase in responsibility on the part of non-governmental organizations. The author also claims resettlement systems are more accountable to their funders than the refugees they are designed to serve. These power dynamics create what the author calls the ‘Refugee Industrial Complex’, which establishes the norms, values and practices of resettlement.

https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/48

Keywords: Neoliberalism, Resettlement

Cataloged by: Patrick Barnosky/ B. J. Perkins

Latino experience in small learning communities in Worcester, Massachusetts

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Title: Latino experience in small learning communities in Worcester, Massachusetts

Author: Smith, Jennifer L.

Date: 2005

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, Department of International Development and Social Change

This paper examines Latino student experience in small learning communities (SLCs) within the larger public high school setting in Worcester, Massachusetts. The aim of the small learning community approach is to narrow the achievement gap between Latinos and other ethnic groups. To explore the perceptions of Latino students to this new approach, the author uses the responses from in-depth interviews with twenty two Latino students in seven different SLCs. The research demonstrates that a changing school culture associated with SLCs has the potential to narrow the achievement gap for Latino students especially if the Worcester public schools share information about positive practices working well within SLCs across the district.

Keywords: Latino students, public high school, education, school performance, Small Learning Communities (SLC),

Cataloged by: Selina Sikder/ B. J. Perkins

The study of the Somali U.S. workforce insertion process

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Title: The study of the Somali U.S. workforce insertion process

Author: McCubbin, Traci Dionne Jines

Date: May 2007

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, Department of International Development, Community and Environment

This study explores the workforce insertion process of Somali refugees in the United States. It also addresses the impact that formal instructions, ethnic enclaves, and previous class status have on this process. The research identifies distorted information and language barriers as two key obstacles to successful workforce insertion. The author concludes by recommending an expanded study with more interviews and geographic locations as well as examining age, gender and tribal relations among Somali refugees.

Keywords: Somalis, Labour supply, Labour market, Economic integration

Cataloged by: Peter Nelson/ B. J. Perkins

How are the goals, objectives, and success of new immigrant communities’ determined in Worcester, Massachusetts

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Title: How are the goals, objectives, and success of new immigrant communities’ determined in Worcester, Massachusetts

Author: Alkhazova, Zhanna

Date: May 2003

Description: Master’s Paper, Clark University, Department of International Development and Social Change

This research explores Russian and Liberian ethnic groups in Worcester, the varying political and social conditions from which they emerged, and their expectations of refugee life in America. The author finds that the refugee resettlement process is more successful when refugees and immigrants have more realistic expectations.

Keywords: Russians, Liberians, refugee resettlement

Cataloged by: Peter Nelson/ B. J. Perkins