What is a liminal space? 'A liminal space is the place of transition, a limbo, a purgatory, a no mans land, a place of hiatus, a place between this and that, an intermission, a place of trial, a place of reflection, a place between the known and the unknown, it can be a place of anxiety, a place of uncertainty but it can also be a place of promise and possibility and therefore excitement.. ,
Is the Zaatari Refugee Camp a liminal space?
The context that I am focusing on as my liminal space is the Za'atari Refuge camp. It lies just across the Jordanian border near Syria. I believe it is a liminal space because the refugees there are in limbo. They cannot fully settle in this environment as it has little natural resources; it cannot be farmed or further developed.
The refugees are dependent on the outside world to provide the necessities of their very existence. Due of this, they have very little control over their lives. Most of the refugees in this camp have little if any clear idea of what their future will be. However they still have hope for the future. (Click picture on left to see video)
I heard this week that some will be resettled in Australia. Others may go to other countries in the region or to Europe. Many will return to Syria when it is safe to do so. Some of the children are going to school as they believe an education will best equip them to meet the challenges of whatever lies ahead.
The educational facilities of the camp are rudimentary at best - a number of basic classrooms with a black or white board, some exercise books and pencils and pens.
School attendance is as described below: (Click on the text below to download the UNICEF report on education at Za'atari 2013/14)
Is the Zaatari Refugee Camp a liminal space?
The context that I am focusing on as my liminal space is the Za'atari Refuge camp. It lies just across the Jordanian border near Syria. I believe it is a liminal space because the refugees there are in limbo. They cannot fully settle in this environment as it has little natural resources; it cannot be farmed or further developed.
The refugees are dependent on the outside world to provide the necessities of their very existence. Due of this, they have very little control over their lives. Most of the refugees in this camp have little if any clear idea of what their future will be. However they still have hope for the future. (Click picture on left to see video)
I heard this week that some will be resettled in Australia. Others may go to other countries in the region or to Europe. Many will return to Syria when it is safe to do so. Some of the children are going to school as they believe an education will best equip them to meet the challenges of whatever lies ahead.
The educational facilities of the camp are rudimentary at best - a number of basic classrooms with a black or white board, some exercise books and pencils and pens.
School attendance is as described below: (Click on the text below to download the UNICEF report on education at Za'atari 2013/14)
At present 52% of the eligible children attend classes, and as you can see from the attached video (click picture below to see video) education is still a high priority in the camp and the longer the refugees stay in Za'atari the more important it will become.
The educational capital of the refugees in Za'atari is strong. After some online research into the camp at Za'tari, it seems to me that Syrians are highly entrepreneurial; they are aspirational, innovative and educated. They place a high value on the education of all children - male and female. I believe that once they are settled as refugees in a country like Australia they will establish themselves quickly. Their self esteem will mean that they will wish to be self sufficient as quickly as possible and their aspirational nature will mean that their children will be motivated students.
In terms of what an education may need to provide these refugees, from my perspective the most important requirement is that the Syrian refugees enter a society that is truly multicultural and welcoming. Schools play a huge role in the success of multiculturalism in Australia. We assume as little as possibile about the background and abilities of our students we meet them and find out. We listen to their stories assess their emotional state (many will have been traumatised by their experiences) and watch as they settle into the school environment. We provided help support and friendship. We tell them that they have a lot to offer this country and that we are glad they are here. We also give them opportunities to share their culture in our school. We value them.
Click the picture below to visit a successful multicultural school
Click the picture below to visit a successful multicultural school
Australia has I believe, a unique opportunity to become a truly multicultural country because of our history of settlement and how Aboriginal Australia still welcomes us as long as we give them the respect as the heart and soul of this country and that we endeavour to respect the land, love it and strive to become as intrinsically attached to as they are.
A task I believe is many generations in the making but worth the effort.
With respect for Aboriginal culture, each other and the land, we are all welcome.
A task I believe is many generations in the making but worth the effort.
With respect for Aboriginal culture, each other and the land, we are all welcome.
Za'atari Refugee camp: making order out of chaos and chaos out of order.
The Liminal Space. Click the picture below to go there.
And what about the children in Za'atari? What is happening to them?
Click on the picture below to find out.
Click on the picture below to find out.
The UNHCR is deeply involved in the provision of educational opportunities for refugees in camps. click on the picture below to go to the appropriate web site.
Below you will find a link to Za'atri Refugee site. just click the picture.
My first response to this issue of Google 3D cardboard using Za'atri refugee as its virtual reality space:
Here I sit safe and secure in the first world, working with marginalised students in a rich environment, doing a degree upgrade and finding out about the future of education.
Now I am discovering 3D cardboard cutouts that will give me a virtual reality experience of the life of a 12 year old girl in a refugee camp. At the same time, another form of virtual reality is training the pilots, that will fly the fighter jets, that will bomb the girl's homeland and leave her little to nothing to return home to.
At the same time rich countries are complaining about their inability to cope with the number of refugees entering their country. Why? Because the West sets higher standards than the third world. Refugees must live by our standards of accomadation and have access to our sophisticated and state of the art infrastructure. That costs money. The West also seems to be forgetful that much of the problems in the Middle East stems from their interference and unwanted involvement.
At the same time we spend millions to discover that there is liquid water on Mars and realise that artificial intelligence may soon reach a treshhold where it may decide to act independently of us.
Meanwhile war rages, more refugees are created but don't worry, we can buy 3D cardboxes and an App that will allow us a truly engrossing insight into the horror others are facing. This will surely give us the empathy we crave.
I'm sorry if I sound a bit over the top; I'm just trying to make sense of it all. Maybe it doesn't make sense. Maybe that's what the liminal space is - a place that doesn't make sense.
But somehow we perservere, we carry on, we work to improve our world within the scope of our reach.
Here I sit safe and secure in the first world, working with marginalised students in a rich environment, doing a degree upgrade and finding out about the future of education.
Now I am discovering 3D cardboard cutouts that will give me a virtual reality experience of the life of a 12 year old girl in a refugee camp. At the same time, another form of virtual reality is training the pilots, that will fly the fighter jets, that will bomb the girl's homeland and leave her little to nothing to return home to.
At the same time rich countries are complaining about their inability to cope with the number of refugees entering their country. Why? Because the West sets higher standards than the third world. Refugees must live by our standards of accomadation and have access to our sophisticated and state of the art infrastructure. That costs money. The West also seems to be forgetful that much of the problems in the Middle East stems from their interference and unwanted involvement.
At the same time we spend millions to discover that there is liquid water on Mars and realise that artificial intelligence may soon reach a treshhold where it may decide to act independently of us.
Meanwhile war rages, more refugees are created but don't worry, we can buy 3D cardboxes and an App that will allow us a truly engrossing insight into the horror others are facing. This will surely give us the empathy we crave.
I'm sorry if I sound a bit over the top; I'm just trying to make sense of it all. Maybe it doesn't make sense. Maybe that's what the liminal space is - a place that doesn't make sense.
But somehow we perservere, we carry on, we work to improve our world within the scope of our reach.