Investigating Refugee Challenges in Australia: A Research Proposal

This research proposal investigates the socio-cultural and psychological challenges experienced by refugees during settlement in Australia. It begins with a summary and outlines aims, objectives, and research questions. The background of the study highlights the increasing number of refugees and the specific challenges they face, including cultural differences, psychological distress, and difficulties integrating into Australian society. The literature review explores current trends in refugee settlement, socio-cultural challenges, psychological impacts, and potential mitigation strategies. The methodology is defined, along with research limitations, a timeline, and ethical considerations, including adherence to NSECR and HREC guidelines. The proposal also includes a budget and a comprehensive list of references. The research aims to identify the current situation and scenario of refugees in Australia, providing knowledge on the issues faced by them and the measures taken to address these challenges.

Research Project Proposal

Table of Contents
Summary/Abstract..................................................................................................................3
Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................3
Research question:..................................................................................................................3
Background of the study and Rationale:................................................................................4
Literature review:...................................................................................................................4
Research methodology:..........................................................................................................8
Research limitation:................................................................................................................9
Timeline..................................................................................................................................9
Ethical issues........................................................................................................................10
Budget:.................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

Topic: To investigate the Socio- cultural and psychological challenges experienced by Refugee
in settlement in Australia.
Summary/Abstract
Research project investigate into a particular issues of a given topic and this includes
thorough study on the research topic. In the present research study the changes faced by the
refugees in context of socio-cultural and psychological issues while settling in Australia are
being investigated. In this regard research aims and objective are stated and on there basis
research questions are framed. Over the research question the themes of Literature review have
been outlined and views and opinion of different authors are presented. The research proposal is
present the brief outline of what is going to be done in the research project and it also defines the
methodology and the manner in which the research will flow along with the methods of data
collection and data analysis. Along with ethical issues are identified for the research project as er
the NSECR and HREC. The time frame in which the project will be completed is also presented.
Aims and objectives
AIM
To investigate the socio Culture and psychological challenges faced by the refugees in
Australia who are under settlement.
OBJECTIVES
 To identify the current trends of the refugee settlement in Australia.
 To identify the socio-cultural challenges faced by refugees while settling in Australia.
 To analyse the psychological challenges experienced by the refugees in Australia during
settlement.
 To recommend the measures to mitigate the causes that are responsible for emergence of
such challenges.
Research question:
 What are the current trends of refugee settlement in Australia?
 What socio-cultural challenges are faced by refugees while settling in Australia?
 What are the psychological challenges experienced by the refugees in Australia during
settlement?

Background of the study and Rationale:
The study is conducted to investigate the challenges faced by the refugees settling in
Australia and particularity in filed of socio-cultural and psychological issues. Every year
Australia accepts more than 15000 refugees from different nation and the countries which are
under war or facing such situation. The refugees are the one who migrate form their nation and
without a legal right and identity enter into another nation and the other nation excepts the on
certain terms and condition. These people are not given any citizenship of that nation. The
Refugee are required to live as per terms and conditions prescribed by the government and
migrating authorities of that nation. The situation faced by person being a refugee is quit tough
as the individual is forced to leave behind the family and home and go to palace which are not
even given basis human rights. Also, they are required to live in place which they are not
habitual. All this factors lead to them to face psychological challenges as they are required to
cope with new situation, tough time and with new people and divers living habitat. The present
research projects aims as the what are these challenges and what the reason behind such issues
faced by Refugee in order to identify the current situation and scenario of the refugees in
Australia. The presence research study will assist the readers in getting significance knowledge
over the refugee issues in the current time and the problems faced by them while settling in
Australia. The research project will aid the reader in abstracting relevant information over the
conditions of refugee at the present time and about the changes which have made over time
regarding the treatment of refugees in Australia and the measures taken to control the socio
culture and psychological challenges faced by refugees.
Literature review:
Theme 1: Current trends of the refugee settlement in Australia
As per the views of , Kumar, R., (2019 the number of refugees in Australia is increasing
with time as the some of the nations are facing the situation of war and few of them are under
war. Two of the main nations from which the number of migrant is increasing is the Syria and
Iraq. For the year ended the number of migrants in Australia numbered to 17555. Out of the total
6730 were the refugees, , 5,032 special humanitarian entrants, 2,003 people granted onshore
protection visas, 1,277 women deemed to be ‘at risk’, and 3,790 people granted visas under the
Australian Government’s commitment to deliver additional humanitarian places to people
displaced by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

On the other it is stated by Silverman (2016), that the refugees in the Australia is
governed by the statue government policies where the government obligations are imposed under
the convention related to the law of refugees. The settlement of the refugee in Australia is termed
as Asylum and thousands of the refugees seek asylum in the nation every year. As the number of
refugees is Australia is increasing there are different issues which are faced by the local citizens.
This includes the burden on the government to place and settle the newcomers in the cities of the
nation. 80% of the skilled migrants settle only in two main cities of Australia which includes
Melbourn and Sydney the pressures on the state government is increasing as well as local citizen
also faced burden regarding the embayment.
However, it is stated by Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault, (2015) the new arrived adult
refugees and the children are form the Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and most of them are settled in
Queensland of Australia. The main areas of the city where the refugees like to stay includes the
suburban Brisbane, RegionaL logan and the Toowoomba. The main reason behind locating in the
particular places of Queensland is that it Dgives them easy time integration and and easy
involvement in the local community. This means that they feel belongingness in these areas
easily, and they become the part of the Australian community soon. This assist the refuges to
forgot their past and deal with the current situation smoothly without much thinking of their
painful past and the tough rimes than have gone through while migrating and settling in
Australia.
Theme 2: The socio-cultural challenges faced by refugees while settling in Australia
In accordance to the view of Creswell and Poth (2017) , the refugees are those who are
forced to live their country, their home and sometimes family too die to the or country of their
own nation where it is difficult to survive. This circumstance force them to migrate to another
nation illegally without a legal identity and a right to enter other nation. People lose their
families and loved one and all this effect them serious mentally and physically. The issues they
also faced in the new nation is related with the cultural difference as they came to a whole new
nation with vast cultural diversity, they also face issues in mingling with the society. The main
reason behinds this is that the local people and community do not accept the refugees easily as
part of the society, and they (local people) find it hard to believe them (refugees).
However it was critiqued by Lewis (2015), that due to leaving the home and their nations
the refugees re presented with sudden shock and this directly affect their mental state. This lead

them to lose their confidence and they find it difficult to cope in the new environment and
culture of a new nation. They also faced the challenge of huge variation between the culture of
their own nation and the country in which they have migrated to. Migrant professional people,
migrant refugees come in thousands each year in Australia with expectation to begin a new
and proper life. Each of these groups has to meet distinct requirements in order to fulfill their
expectations. Migrants come from separate racial, social, economic and language backgrounds,
so they have different necessity and ambitions to accomplish in Australia.
Accessing employment and business opportunities in Australia for those migrants and refugees
who are over 45 years of age is a serious challenge as they have to deal with many new migrants,
especially if they are refugees at this stage of their lives. These group of refugees go through
many difficulties until some of them find a job, while others finish in the queues of social
security.
Theme 3: The psychological challenges experienced by the refugees in Australia during
settlement.
As per the view of Giallo and et.al., (2017), the data drawn from a cross sectional survey
form a population which is based on the study of children between the age of 4-5, have shown
diverse results , for which the views and opinion of the fathers was taken. The study shows
included those fathers who were migrants are refuges in Australia. The study have shown that the
fathers were psychological distressed as compared other fathers in Australia. They were also
determined to have poor health and some of them were found to be addicted to alcohol. It is
founds that the fathers with refugee background experience poor mental health and general
health as well. This situation have become stagnant for the fathers who are not of Australian
background and this one of the major reason is the social and financial security for their family
and children.
On the contrary stated by Patten and Newhart (2017) that the refugees who are settling in
Australia are found to at a high risk of the mental health problems. The reason behind this
situation are many which includes the experience of being a refugee, displacement form won
country and home, the stress and anxiety of the eating for the decision to be determined on
their migration status. The refuges also faces the psychological effects from the trauma they
have already experienced before the settlement in Australia. The symptoms of the trauma that
are faced by the refuses are guilt, fear, sadness, anger which can lead the person to depression,

anxiety and substance misuse. The refuges are also required to spend mandatory detention time
under the migration detention and this gave the refuges a traumatic experience and it is generally
a negative socialisation experience for them. Those in mandatory detention experience much
higher levels of suicidal behaviour and psychiatric illnesses than the general population.
Theme 4: The measures to mitigate the causes that are responsible for emergence of such
challenges
Bresle and Stake (2017) have presented the view to overcome the psychological barriers
faced by the refugees while resettlement in Australia as understanding their mental condition and
trauma they been through and provide them a subtle life to they can spend their rest of life in
Australia peacefully. This also requires the efforts form the government and migration
authorities in order to project the personal interest of the refuges through mitigating certain
mandatory requirement such as compulsory detention of the refugees as this is one of the major
factor that lead to the mental distress and suicidal behaviour of the refugees. The refugees must
be given consultation regarding their habitation in Australia so that can easily mingle in the
society and the negative after effect of settlement are less seen on them. The Australian
migration authorities must make such arrangement where the migrants and refugee are required
to meet all the procedures but without going to the trauma and mandatory detention. In the
detention they are sometimes prohibited form the basic rights. The procedure must be made to
ensure that their privileges are not infringed.
However in the opinion of Shishehgarand et.al., (2017) the refugees under settlements are
provided with some of the basic rights but the processes and the rules are so strict that the
refuges feel under privileged and are faced with socio culture and the psychological issue. One
of the major contributing factor to this scenario is pre migration and settlement trauma and
problems faced by the refuges. For the avoidance and mitigation of these effect the measures are
required to be taken .one of such measure is the providing consultation services to the refugees.
The consultation must not be restricted to a single issue rather each of the problem experienced
by refuges must be addresses. This mainly includes the consultation services regarding diffract
of cultrate and how to cope with the same, the professional and carries consultation, the advise
related with mingling in a whole new society and most importantly the consultation regarding
the personal and self discrepancy and confidence issues. All this can assist the refugees in

understanding their issues clearly and they will be given help to resolve those significantly. All
these efforts can lead to live a healthy physical and mental life.
Research methodology:
Research design:
The research design is of two types qualitative and qualitative. For the present research
project qualitative research design will be selected and the rationale behind choosing this
research design is to conduct a thorough research in investigative the socio cultural and
psychological challenges faced by refuges in Australia.
Research approach:
The research approach are of two type inductive and deductive. For the present research
study inductive one will be selected as this is best suited for carrying on qualitative research
design.
Research philosophy:
The research philosophy under research methodology is of two types that is positivism
and interpretive (Copelj, 2017). Fora research protect conducted through qualitative research
design interpretive research philosophy is always sleeted to thoroughly investigate the research
issue. For the present research project same will be followed.
Data collection:
The data for a research project is collected through two method that is primary and
secondary. Under the primary one fresh data is gathered through survey, interview, observations.
Secondary data is collected through books journals and articles. For this rehears project data will
be gathered from both resources (Buchananand et.al., 2018). The primary data will be collected
from 20 of the refugees living in the camps set by the government.
Sampling:
The sample method under the research project will be selected as random sampling
method where all the respondent have equal opportunity from being getting selected from the
overall population of the refugee settling in Australia.
Data Analysis:
The data gathered from the primary and secondary resources is analysed and evaluated
through use of mathematical and statistical tool or through the creation of themes, graphs and
tables (Thoresen and et.al., 2016). The method of data analysis different in accordance to the

research design. For the present research project thematic approach will be engaged to analyse
and investigate the data.
Research limitation:
For conducting the research limitation can be faced regarding the collection of data and
getting consent from the refugees over the challenges experienced by them. Another limitation
getting permissions from the migration authorities to talk to the refugees to collect the data from
survey method. The cost and budget can also be a issues that might be faced by the researcher in
form of statutory fees for tanking permission from the migration authorities in order to meet the
refugees and collection information from them and taking a NOC (no objection certificate) from
government authorities that only data relevant to research project will be collected.
Timeline
Activities/
Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Constructing
Research
proposal
Making Aim
and objectives
Research
Background
Listing
research
methodologies
Collecting data
using primary
and secondary
resources
Examining
collected data

Interpreting the
data
Conclusion and
recommendatio
ns
Submission of
draft
Implementing
changes as per
feedback
comments
Final
submission of
report
Ethical issues
The ethical issues are described by the National Statement on Ethical Conduct of
Research (NSECR) and the Fed Uni Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) as Research
ethics govern the standards of conduct for scientific researchers. It is important to adhere
to ethical principles in order to protect the dignity, rights and welfare of research participants.
The three issues identified for the present research project are:
Taking consent form the refuges:
This is major ethical problem that the researcher can face which is taking the information
form the refugees over the issues and problems faced by them with their approval and consent.
For this the research will be required to assure them the information the information will not
be used for any other purpose. This is also required that their privacy and human rights are not
infringed.
The truthfulness of the information provided by refugees:
After taking the consent it must be made sure by the researcher that the data and
information provided for the research by the refugees are true and not fake or false. This is

another ethical issue that can be faced by the researcher as wrong information can lead the
research to give wrong conclusions and outcome which can result in failure of the research
project.
The unbiasedness of researcher:
In case the consent is not received or the information collected is some what not correct
there arises the ethical issues of inserting the wrong information and taking false data to
complete the research. Here the research will be required to act ethically and use the
information and data so collected and interpret them only to reach the effective outcome of the
research project.
Budget:
The budget for the present research project is estimated to be $200 minimum. The
budgets include different costs which are related with conducting the research, formation and
printing of questionnaires. The payment made to the government and migration authorities to get
permissions and access to the refugees and their information. Along with his the cost includes
the printing expenses of report. Also, this incudes cost of material and supplies used in
preparation of the report.
Particular Estimated cost in $
Printing cost 45
Material and supplies 20
Fees and statutory payments 115
Others 20
Total 200

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Giallo, R and et.al., 2017. The physical and mental health problems of refugee and migrant
fathers: findings from an Australian population-based study of children and their
families. BMJ open. 7(11). p.e015603.
Silverman, D. ed., 2016. Qualitative research. Sage.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.
Creswell, J. W. and Poth, C. N., 2017. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing
among five approaches. Sage publications.
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice. 16(4). pp.473-475.
Patten, M. L. and Newhart, M., 2017. Understanding research methods: An overview of the
essentials. Routledge.
Bresler, L. and Stake, R. E., 2017. Qualitative research methodology in music education.
In Critical Essays in Music Education (pp. 113-128). Routledge.
Shishehgar, S and et.al., 2017. Health and socio-cultural experiences of refugee women: an
integrative review. Journal of immigrant and minority health. 19(4). pp.959-973.
Copelj, A and et.al., 2017. Psychological growth in young adult refugees: Integration of personal
and cultural resources to promote wellbeing. Australian Community Psychologist. 28(2).
Buchanan, Z. E and et.al., 2018. Perceived discrimination, language proficiencies, and
adaptation: Comparisons between refugee and non-refugee immigrant youth in
Australia. International journal of intercultural relations. 63. pp.105-112.
Thoresen, P and et.al., 2016. Identifying the needs of refugee and asylum-seeking children in
Thailand: a focus on the perspectives of children. Journal of Refugee Studies. 30(3).
pp.426-446.