My Pillow Is Filled with Tears… Syrian Refugees’ Journey to Australia: Narratives of Human Courage and Resilience

Rosemary Qummouh (), Sheridan Linnell, Shameran Slewa-Younan and Sera Harris
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Rosemary Qummouh: School of Social Sciences, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2751, Australia
Sheridan Linnell: School of Social Sciences, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2751, Australia
Shameran Slewa-Younan: School of Medicine, Macarthur Clinical School, Campbelltown Hospital, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2751, Australia
Sera Harris: School of Social Sciences, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2751, Australia

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: This article showcases Syrian refugees’ narratives of trauma and survival, through a phenomenological approach to in-depth research, with refugees who have resettled in Australia. It explores their journey towards resettlement, highlighting the nexus between displacement in the home–transit–host countries and the biopsychosocial determinants of mental health. Since the 2011 uprising, over 12 million Syrians have been displaced, both internally and worldwide. A refugee’s journey to safety often involves multiple displacements and exposure to dangerous, life-threatening, and dehumanising experiences. We have therefore adopted a qualitative approach that counters this dehumanisation by honouring the unique humanity in the voice of each of our research participants. This article aims to portray the nuanced interdependence between the individual, social, and political contexts of seven Syrian refugees’ lived experiences through an in-depth consideration of what they have told us, how they narrate their stories, and the meanings they ascribe to what they have experienced. The findings of this small yet eloquent study reinforce the insight that the journey to resettlement is far from linear and that resettlement itself is a process marked by recurrent and persistent complexities. The article suggests that the resilience of these refugees is best understood as an ethical and altruistic commitment to collective well-being, transcending notions of individual fortitude.

Keywords: displacement trauma; refugee mental health; transit; resettlement trajectory; resilience; intersectionality; Syria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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