Abstract

Against current debates that the relationships between the host communities and the displaced elderly community are conflictual and friendly, the paper argues that the host community may either be hostile or warm to the displaced elderly refugees. Against this backdrop, this study examines the relationship between host communities and elderly refugees in post-Apartheid South Africa. A qualitative research design was used to collect data from the participants in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, selected towns and cities. Even though the study focuses on one Province of South Africa, this finding challenges the often-over-generalised perception of South Africa as ‘xenophobic’. It unpacks the hidden resilient social systems and relationships that bind local populations and refugees, especially the elderly ones. In the search for national, regional, and global answers on the best way to manage the refugee crisis, this study provides insights into community-level structures and dynamics that would benefit policymaking at the national and international levels.

摘要

针对当前关于收容社区与流离失所老年社区之间的关系是冲突还是友好的争论，本文认为收容社区对流离失所的老年难民可能是敌对的，也可能是热情的。在此背景下，本研究探讨了后种族隔离时期南非收容社区与老年难民之间的关系。采用定性研究设计从南非东开普省和选定城镇的参与者收集数据。尽管这项研究主要针对南非的一个省，但这一发现挑战了人们对南非“仇外”的普遍看法。它揭示了将当地居民和难民，特别是老年人联系在一起的隐藏的、有弹性的社会系统和关系。在寻找民族的过程中，