Tapping into Resettlement for Rebuilding: Lessons from Peacebuilding Engagement Activities of Resettled Liberian Refugees in Canada

ABSTRACT:Researchers have uncovered various ways that refugees in neighboring countries and refugee returnees can change the peacebuilding landscape of their countries. These studies show that refugees demonstrate capacities to contribute to peacebuilding in diverse ways, including enhancement of safety and security, political processes, and revitalization of economic, justice, and reconciliation systems. The above findings notwithstanding, we know little about the peacebuilding role of millions of resettled refugees. This article, therefore, highlights Canada’s resettlement of Liberian refugees, integration experiences, and some peacebuilding engagement activities of resettled refugees as well as factors that contribute to their (dis)engagement. The evidence from the data indicates that resettled refugees are a resource for peacebuilding waiting to be tapped and whose engagement reinforces the complementarity of state-led and community-based approaches to peacebuilding.