What is the relationship between faith and social action and how does it expand our understanding of humanitarianism, especially when it comes to refugee resettlement? The widening funding gap with shrinking financial and political support, in recent years, both at the federal and state level towards refugee resettlement has meant that churches and faith-based organizations have been on the front line, providing support towards individual resettlement.
While the literature describes faith-based efforts supporting refugees, we are still understanding the scale and distinctiveness of faith-based humanitarianism towards refugee resettlement.
Chacko’s project will explore the changing nature of humanitarian service by understanding the role of the LDS church on refugee resettlement in Idaho. Through semi-structured interviews with staff and leaders from refugee resettlement agencies and members of the LDS church, this project aims to explore the relationship between the Mormon church’s interest in helping refugees and refugee resettlement agencies’ responsibility of resettling refugees.
The award was rewarded from the Institute for Advancing American Values.