Experiences of Losing and Re-Establishing a ‘Sense of Place’: Insights From Forced Resettlement in Myanmar

Abstract

Forced resettlement, the process of intentionally displacing and moving people from one location to another, increases impoverishment risks and creates severe and long-lasting economic and psycho-socio-cultural impacts. While these impacts are well established, there is comparatively much less research about ‘loss of place’ after displacement when people are disconnected from a space or spaces that are meaningful to them. Therefore, this paper seeks to address this gap through empirical research on the experiences of residents who were displaced and relocated to an outer township in Yangon, Myanmar, 25 years after the resettlement event. The study examines what it means to lose a sense of place after forced resettlement, and how despite the disorientating impacts of displacement, individuals actively worked to re-establish social and physical connections over time. The paper outlines how displaced residents developed and implemented strategies to re-establish their sense of place and rebuild their community. It finds that multiple levels of strategies were developed—at individual, household, and community scales—to restore social connections and adapt to a new environment. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of place attachment and community rebuilding, particularly in contexts where displacement is driven by urban development, climate change, or state interventions.