Feeling like an outsider: a case study of refugee identity in the Czech Republic

After a review of the literature on identity formation, a brief summary of forced migration in the Czech Republic and an introduction to my case study participants, this article will examine the identity of my respondents first as perceived by themselves and second to see if and how the refugee label has affected their identity formation and claiming process. This article will also discuss whether or not the designation of ‘refugee’ has made my participants feel as outsiders and/or ‘others’ in Czech society and whether they have noticed any change in how they perceive themselves based upon how Czech society sees and treats them. Throughout the article, when applicable, my data will be discussed in the context of findings presented by previous studies of refugee identity. Finally, the media plays a critical role in how different groups of people perceive themselves and are perceived by others. I will examine different media outlets to understand how the media perceives refugees and how the media contributes to the process of refugees’ identity formation.