Struggle as Opportunity: Making Sense of Immigration Experiences through Buddhist Practice

• In Event: 469 - Section on International Migration Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Religion and Migration

Abstract

Recent scholarship demonstrates how immigrants rely on religion not only for resources for settlement, but also for psychological and social support at various stages of migration. Based on data from interviews with immigrants who identify as practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism and members of the Soka Gakkai-USA organization, I build on this body of literature by examining how practitioners use faith to make sense of the challenging situations they face in the migration and settlement process. Using a lived religion approach, I examine the ways members use Buddhist philosophies in their daily practice as a lens for finding meaning in the struggles associated with their migration. Through their practice, members feel a sense of agency over their conditions, including those in vulnerable legal and employment situations.

Author

• Holly K. Straut Eppsteiner, University of North Carolina