Question

I have to write an essay on refugees and I was thinking about writing about identity. We read a text about refugees that get alienated in class and I also found a text about labelling refugees. Other than that I can't find anything on the internet so I don't have enough arguments and sources. I don't know where to start and it is due tuesday. What should I do?

Answer 1

I think if you write about refugees in general, you'll always have a hard time. You'll be dealing with generalities and stereotypes.

If I were you, I'd choose a particular country or region AND TIME from which refugees are fleeing. You might find it worthwhile to write about a group of people who were fleeing to the US from Russia or Poland or Germany during the mid-late-1800s ... or whatever time period and location interests you. Then work to ask and answer a whole bunch of questions:

When? (What time period are you referring to?)
Where from?
Where to?
Why?
What preparations do they make? Or how do they survive if they have no time to make any preparations?
How do they know if/when they reach a good place to settle down?
Etc.

Keep asking yourself questions, and then use your research and paper to answer them.