Exploring Violence in the Somali Community in Edmonton, Alberta

• In Event: Comparative and Cross-National Perspectives on Immigration and Violence

Abstract

Canada is home to one of the largest Somali diasporas in the world. The city of Edmonton, Alberta has one of the largest populations of Somali people in Canada. The Somali diaspora in Edmonton has faced significant negative media and public attention focused on the high number of homicides involving young Somali males. As part of a larger Kanishka-funded project this paper explores the Somali community’s reactions to, and possible reasons for, the disproportionately high homicide rate within the community. In the over one hundred in-depth interviews conducted between August 2013 and March 2014, participants responded to the media depictions, and provided possible reasons for, the violence within their community. Notably, findings from this study challenge the common notion that the negative reception and exclusion of immigrants by the host country might explain immigrant involvement in crime and victimization. Members of the Somali diaspora vocalized support for education, government, and community institutions in the province. This paper will situate the violence in this context.

Authors

• Kelsi J. Barkway, University of Alberta

• Sara K. Thompson, Ryerson University

• Sandra M. Bucerius, University of Alberta