CASE STUDY:
Mr MathangiAlagiah (42), his wife Priya (38) and their 13 year old son Maha are Sri Lankan Tamils who arrived in Australia in 2009 after travelling by boat from Indonesia. After spending 4 months in detention on Christmas Island, they were finally granted permission to stay in Australia. They are currently living in Perth.
Both Mathangi and Priya are university educated and worked as high-school teachers in Sri Lanka. Mathangi was also principal of the school at which he worked, and Priya taught mathematics. Both are fluent in English. They are not able to work as teachers in Perth, so Mathangi is working as a security guard for a large shopping complex, and Priya is an assistant at their local library.
The couple are struggling to meet their financial commitments. They are living in a rented apartment and have just been informed that the landlord wants to increase the weekly rental. The banks have refused to grant them a loan, despite the fact that the couple tell the banks that they are professional people, and are employed. The Alagiah’s are becoming increasingly frustrated.
They are also starting to worry about their son. He has started getting home late from school, and refuses to tell his parents where he has been. He had also been doing well at school, but his teacher recently contacted them and expressed her concerns about a change in Maha’s attitude and behaviour. He has become withdrawn and is not participating in class. His academic performance has also been declining. Mr and Mrs Alagiah are not sure what to do.
Case Study: There should be three main sub-sections:
I. Introduction
II. Body of Text [issues and questions]
III. Conclusion & Recommendations
Example how do the case study;
Introduction:
Introduce the case & outline who is involved:
Fairly brief – do not repeat all of information in the case
e. g. This case study focuses on a family of four (parents & 2 children) who are refugees from Afghanistan, now living in Adelaide.
Briefly state the significance of the case &list some key issues
The case highlights the issue of refugees coming to Australia, and deals with the issues facing refugees upon their arrival & subsequent settlement in Australia. Some of these issues include language, finances, and social & cultural differences
Comprises your answers to the key questions identified earlier – per paragraph
To determine who the Hazara are and whether or not this plays a role in their persecution requires brief background search on the situation in Afghanistan
- focus on recent events that might pay a role in the case – you do not need to investigate all historical events
- is there conflict in Afghanistan that might be relevant to the case – what are the causes & extent of conflict & who is most affected?
- how might the family have made their way to Australia?
- continue same format as above for all three paragraphs
Step 1:
Identify the key or contextual factors that are pertinent or relevant to this family/their situation each paragraph contains contextual factors work through each paragraph & identify those factors
Paragraph 1:
The key/contextual factors are indicated by different colours: also for paragraph 2
Step 2:
- What are some key questions you would need to ask in order to come to an informed understanding of this family’s situation?
- Mr Ahmed Mazera (28) and his wife Amina (25) are Hazara immigrants from Afghanistan, living in Adelaide. They and their two children (a boy aged six, and a girl aged four) fled their country as a result of the ongoing persecution. A year ago, they were granted permission to live in Adelaide after claiming refugee status. Other family members remain in Afghanistan, and the Mazeras worry for their safety.
- Mazera family are Hazara – who are Hazara, and is this significant?
- why was this family persecuted, to the extent that they fled their country?
- how did the family get to Australia – they arrived as refugees?
- on what grounds could they claim asylum? What legal process might they have gone through to receive asylum in Australia?
Paragraph 2:
Mr Mazera is an experienced mechanic, and has a job at a local garage. He speaks some English, which he tries to improve through communication with people at work. He is also making contacts at the local mosque. Mrs Mazera, who has never worked outside the home, does not speak any English. She spends most of her time looking after the home and caring for the children, who now attend a local school.
Mr Mazera:
- employed – family has an income
- speaks some English – practices at work & mosque – socialising, making connections/friends
How important is it for migrants to speak the local language i.e. English?
Mrs Mazera
- does not speak English, is mostly at home
- her children are at school and her husband is at work – what does she do with her time?
- Is this family arrangement typical for immigrant families? Is the fact that she is not working a cultural issue – or is perhaps because she does not speak English?
The children
- at school – likely that are learning & speaking English & making friends
- But…might there be any concerns?
Is there any information on child refugees – moving to another country, making friends?
Paragraph 3:
Mrs Mazera is finding it harder to settle in than her husband. She has not made any friends, and she misses her mother and two sisters left behind at home. She worries about them all the time, and tells her husband she wants to go back to Afghanistan. He says this is not possible and that they can never go back. Mrs Mazera is becoming depressed, and is starting to feel unwell. She confides in one of her sisters, who says she should get some help. However, the Mazeras cannot afford private medical care, and Mrs Mazera is reluctant to visit the public hospital. She has no idea how the system works, nor whether she can see a female doctor.
- Spends all of her time at home – no friends; social isolation puts her risk of mental & physical health issues [she is feeling unwell], but is reluctant to seek medical help
- Is her situation typical – i.e. is there any information on depression in refugees? Is there any evidence that women refugees face greater challenges than men?