Migration and Mental Health in Two Contemporary Memoirs
1School of Humanities, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu Campus, Yliopistonkatu 2, 80100, Joensuu, Finland. lena.englund@uef.fi.
The Journal of Medical Humanities
|July 22, 2024
Summary
This study explores how migration and precarious living conditions impact mental health, as seen in two memoirs. It highlights the connection between displacement, social disconnection, and psychological struggles, advocating for human rights.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Migration Studies
Background:
- Memoirs by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio and Dina Nayeri explore the intersection of migration and mental health.
- Both texts illuminate mental health challenges faced by individuals in precarious situations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze how migration experiences and mental health struggles are portrayed in contemporary autobiographical texts.
- To examine the connection between physical dislocation, social disconnect, and mental well-being in migrant populations.
- To understand how these narratives serve advocacy for human rights.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of two autobiographical texts: "The Undocumented Americans" (2021) and "The Ungrateful Refugee" (2020).
- Examination of themes related to mental health, precarity, citizenship, and belonging.
Main Results:
- The memoirs reveal that mental health struggles are exacerbated by disconnect from people, citizenship, and the nation, not solely by physical dislocation.
- Authors focus on the experiences of undocumented migrants navigating asylum systems and citizenship processes, rather than recovery narratives.
- The personal experiences of migration and mental illness are framed as tools for human rights advocacy.
Conclusions:
- The authors utilize their narratives to advocate for the human rights of undocumented migrants.
- Mental health struggles in the context of migration are intrinsically linked to policies and practices in the US and Europe.
- These memoirs extend beyond personal experience to critique systemic issues affecting migrant populations.
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