Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, where today, we dive into a powerful study that sheds light on the lives of those striving to rebuild and fit into unfamiliar work settings. We’re exploring the groundbreaking research of Dr. Weerahannadige Dulini Anuvinda Fernando, whose latest article in Human Relations, one of the world’s top 50 business journals, takes us deep into the experiences of skilled refugees in Britain. These are individuals who, despite their talents, face the challenge of negotiating their place in a new country, new culture, and unfamiliar workplaces.
Dr. Fernando’s study is more than just academic—it’s a window into the strategies that skilled refugees use to reconcile their pasts with the present, all while trying to blend in and thrive. Through a discursive repositioning lens, she shows how refugees craft narratives of competence, resilience, and adaptability. They navigate the delicate balance between showcasing their past experiences and adjusting to the demands of their host country.
Her work brings to life the temporal moves—retrospective reflections, swift adjustments, and blending—that allow skilled refugees to maintain their worth and secure a sense of belonging in foreign environments. It’s a study that not only deepens our understanding of migration but also speaks to the broader human experience of fitting in, of finding one's place amid change and uncertainty.
As we explore this research, let me ask: How do we negotiate our own identities when faced with unfamiliar surroundings? And what lessons can we learn from the resilience of these skilled refugees?
Thank you to Dr. Weerahannadige Dulini Anuvinda Fernando and Sage & The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations for this pioneering work, and for its publication in Human Relations, a prestigious journal on the FT50 list, recognized globally for excellence in business research.
Reference
Fernando, W. D. A. (2024). Negotiating fit into host country work settings: Understanding the interplay between the past and the present in the accounts of skilled refugees. Human Relations, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267241284970
