“They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda
Although maintaining social cohesion between refugees and host communities is a major policy goal, due to protracted refugee situations, research on potential barriers is scant, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where a majority of the world’s refugees live. This article provides insi...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/116 |
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| author | Esther Kalule Nanfuka Ronald Luwangula James Thomas Ssenfuuma Samuel Baker Tibengana Jordan Canocakacon Magdalene Ndagire Joseph Irumba John-Baptist Kahuma Eddy Joshua Walakira |
| author_facet | Esther Kalule Nanfuka Ronald Luwangula James Thomas Ssenfuuma Samuel Baker Tibengana Jordan Canocakacon Magdalene Ndagire Joseph Irumba John-Baptist Kahuma Eddy Joshua Walakira |
| author_sort | Esther Kalule Nanfuka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although maintaining social cohesion between refugees and host communities is a major policy goal, due to protracted refugee situations, research on potential barriers is scant, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where a majority of the world’s refugees live. This article provides insights into food insecurity as a barrier to refugee–host community social cohesion in the wake of food aid cuts to refugees globally. We conducted 24 focus group discussions, 3 in-depth interviews, and 8 key informant interviews with refugee and host community members, local leaders, and staff of entities overseeing refugee affairs in two settlements in Southwestern Uganda. We found that refugees experiencing food insecurity and limited coping resources resort to negative and socially unacceptable means, such as theft and aggression, to obtain food. This causes social tensions and social fragmentation that directly contribute to the deterioration of social cohesion by undermining trust, inhibiting cooperation, and weakening the sense of shared purpose between refugees and their host communities. Food insecurity is a significant threat to the social integration of refugees, as it weakens their social connections in the host community. Measures to address food insecurity among refugees are imperative to mitigate its potential deleterious effects on the social integration of refugees in protracted situations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4808a42db7db45f28ab466759d1ae622 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-4808a42db7db45f28ab466759d1ae6222025-08-20T02:52:45ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602025-02-0114211610.3390/socsci14020116“They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in UgandaEsther Kalule Nanfuka0Ronald Luwangula1James Thomas Ssenfuuma2Samuel Baker Tibengana3Jordan Canocakacon4Magdalene Ndagire5Joseph Irumba6John-Baptist Kahuma7Eddy Joshua Walakira8Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaAVSI Foundation Uganda, Kampala P.O Box 6785, UgandaAVSI Foundation Uganda, Kampala P.O Box 6785, UgandaAVSI Foundation Uganda, Kampala P.O Box 6785, UgandaAVSI Foundation Uganda, Kampala P.O Box 6785, UgandaDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaAlthough maintaining social cohesion between refugees and host communities is a major policy goal, due to protracted refugee situations, research on potential barriers is scant, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where a majority of the world’s refugees live. This article provides insights into food insecurity as a barrier to refugee–host community social cohesion in the wake of food aid cuts to refugees globally. We conducted 24 focus group discussions, 3 in-depth interviews, and 8 key informant interviews with refugee and host community members, local leaders, and staff of entities overseeing refugee affairs in two settlements in Southwestern Uganda. We found that refugees experiencing food insecurity and limited coping resources resort to negative and socially unacceptable means, such as theft and aggression, to obtain food. This causes social tensions and social fragmentation that directly contribute to the deterioration of social cohesion by undermining trust, inhibiting cooperation, and weakening the sense of shared purpose between refugees and their host communities. Food insecurity is a significant threat to the social integration of refugees, as it weakens their social connections in the host community. Measures to address food insecurity among refugees are imperative to mitigate its potential deleterious effects on the social integration of refugees in protracted situations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/116food insecurityhost communitiesrefugeesprotracted refugee situationssocial cohesionUganda |
| spellingShingle | Esther Kalule Nanfuka Ronald Luwangula James Thomas Ssenfuuma Samuel Baker Tibengana Jordan Canocakacon Magdalene Ndagire Joseph Irumba John-Baptist Kahuma Eddy Joshua Walakira “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda Social Sciences food insecurity host communities refugees protracted refugee situations social cohesion Uganda |
| title | “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda |
| title_full | “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda |
| title_fullStr | “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda |
| title_short | “They Steal Our Food”: Food Insecurity as a Barrier to Social Cohesion Between Refugee and Host Communities in Uganda |
| title_sort | they steal our food food insecurity as a barrier to social cohesion between refugee and host communities in uganda |
| topic | food insecurity host communities refugees protracted refugee situations social cohesion Uganda |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/116 |
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