Safe Haven?: A History of Refugees in America

by David W. Haines

The notion of America as land of refuge is vital to American civic consciousness yet over the past seventy years the country has had a complicated and sometimes erratic relationship with its refugee populations. Attitudes and actions toward refugees from the government, voluntary organizations, and the general public have ranged from acceptance to rejection; from well-wrought program efforts to botched policy decisions. Drawing on a wide range of contemporary and historical material, and based on the author s three-decade experience in refugee research and policy, "Safe Haven?" provides an integrated portrait of this crucial component of American immigration and of American engagement with the world. Covering seven decades of immigration history, Haines shows how refugees and their American hosts continue to struggle with national and ethnic identities and the effect this struggle has had on American institutions and attitudes.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

Reviews

[David Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this one in a Goodreads Giveaway and a very good read it was as well. This books is a must for anybody interested int he history of refugees in America, specifically how they were treated, how patterns of migration evolved and how it does and will continue to shape the political future of the country. A highly recommended read.

[Ken Dowell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Subtitled ‘A History of Refugees in America,’ Safe Haven’s scope is primarily the last 30 years or so of the 20th century. It was published in 2010, so before the Trump circus came to town. It is not a history of U.S. policy or politics, nor of the world developments that caused refugees to leave their homeland. It is a study instead of the refugee experience in America. It attempts to answer questions like: What factors best lead to successful integration? Or, how successful are different resettlement efforts?

This is a study with an academic air, nor particularly friendly to the casual, general interest reader. It is a thoroughly researched work. That research includes a lot of analysis of available data and seemingly exhaustive coverage of the printed work that preceded it . What the research doesn’t touch are the refugees themselves.

I always thought that opening the door to the displaced of the world was a sign of humanity and empathy. At least for the period studied in Safe Haven, it seems to be a lot more about ideology. Who was being welcomed into the U.S. during this time period. Cubans, Vietnamese and Russians, persons seen as fleeing Communism.

Another point of interest for me was the chapter on how Richmond, Va., was so welcoming of refugees. The author suggests this Virginia city was on the road to becoming a ‘veritable United Nations.” You can conclude there are a lot of caring people in Richmond. I didn’t come to many other conclusions reading Safe Haven. Many of the paths the author led us down produced ambiguous and inconclusive findings.

[Jennifer Kern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Known as the "land of opportunity," America is where refugees flee for a better life for themselves and their families. But, attitudes and actions toward refugees have changed the public view from acceptance to rejection. Focusing on various programs and policy decisions, author David Haines will inform readers the role America plays in it's engagement with the world. I recommend this book to anyone interested in American studies, International Relations and politics.