With no end in sight, the victims caught within Syrian battle grounds are forced to flee their homes. This conflict started in 2012, when citizens were protesting the government. Those in power began oppressing those opposing the government, and the civil war began. Canada began welcoming these families in need during the November of 2015. As of January 2017, Canada has settled over 40,000 refugees (2017). In their own country, these individuals feel powerless and unsafe. The process of relocating refugees can often be rigorous; with families potentially spending years in refugee camps waiting for relocation or acceptance. This can add to the feelings of alienation the individuals are experiencing; as they have no true home, they are feeling …show more content…
They could face negative stereotyping due to race or religion, which can cause alienation from their community. Feeling unwelcome, unfortunately, is not uncommon in refugees. “A 2015 study… estimated that half of the Syrian refugees in Germany had mental issues, with 70 percent witnessing violence and 50 percent been victims of violence” (Karasapan, 2016). Another issue refugees from Syria can fall prey to is poverty. Often, this comes out of desperation to provide income for their family, and Syrian workers may have to work more laborious jobs due to lack of formal education. In The Manifesto of the Communist Party, Marx & Engels (1884) describe four kinds of alienation. It is reasonable to say that in unfair or dangerous working conditions, refugees are experiencing these feelings. Alienation from labour and alienation from process refer to the challenge one has when a person is living to work and treated like an extension of a machine. Alienation from oneself and alienation from each other can also occur in these situations: feeling helpless with no creative outlet and competing with others for compensation. We can also relate this to Pink Floyd’s album The Wall, as this album has a theme of isolation and loneliness throughout. “I am just a new boy, stranger in this town” (Walters, 1979). As they are placed in a complex situation, refugees are faced with a variety of emotions, but certainly one of the most prominent is