The Resettlement of Bhutanese Refugees in Central Massachusetts

Over the last decade, the United States has taken over 10,000 Bhutanese refugees seeking asylum and helped provide resettlement in states such as Texas, Massachusetts, and New York. In central Massachusetts alone, over 2,000 Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees have settled since 2008. Adjusting to a new location, finding employment, and learning the local language are some of the many barriers they face when resettling in the United States.

The goal of this project is to further understand the journey that Bhutanese refugees have taken all the way from Bhutan to Shrewsbury, a town in Central Massachusetts. It includes stories and experiences from current refugees, social workers, and academics, as well as comparisons of resettlement in Shrewsbury and large cities such as Boston.  A stronger awareness of refugee resettlement satisfaction as it relates to location can provide valuable insights to policymakers on how to strengthen the existing resettlement system.