Research Methodology and Universe of Location for Study of Refugees

Author : Pushpa

Almost 70 years have elapsed since the Erstwhile refugees crossed over to India. So much has been changed for them in terms of socio-economic and political circumstances. That the younger generation today which are born in post independence India seems to be totally unaware of the holocaust their parents went through. So the most pertinent question before the researcher was to interview those people who had actually migrated. Because its only through them that one could ascertain as to how the erstwhile refugees structured their life style in a new environment. Sociologically speaking, this style structural patterning of the refugees’ life in terms of socio-economic problem faced by them subsequently at various stages could not have been ascertained in piece-meal and abstract responses. Thus it become rather imperative for the researcher to probe into complete life history of refugees divided mainly into three phases viz. past-that is life in West Pakistan, migration and post migration so as to have a comprehensive understanding of the problem in its entirely.

Keywords: Community, Host, Jats, Punjabies, Refugees.