Unwelcome Shores

Unwelcome Shores is an ethnographic study of the Liberian refugee community in Staten Island, NY, that sheds light on the racialization of Black refugees and the anti-Black racism they have experienced at every step of their migration journey. By privileging race as the lens of analysis, sociologist Bernadette Ludwig reveals the significance of race in the lives of Liberians both during and after their immigration to the U.S.

The salience of race in these different contexts varies. Some measures, such as the impetus for Liberia’s establishment as a colony to protect the institution of slavery in the U.S., were unambiguously race-based. Since becoming an independent country, Liberia’s citizenship has been restricted to Black people. Subsequently, being “Black” is a central aspect of both the nation of Liberia and what it means to be Liberian. In contrast, (Liberian) refugee resettlement and associated integration measurements by the U.S. government have been framed as race-neutral. However, upon closer examination, this has not been the case. For example, Black refugees and asylum seekers have had to overcome additional burdens compared to non-Black forced migrants, such as having a lower resettlement quota allocated to them and a higher threshold to prove persecution. Once in the U.S., African refugees face additional barriers due to systemic and individual anti-Black racism, especially in the racially divided context of places such as Staten Island, which has the largest per capita concentration of Liberians in the U.S.

Unwelcome Shores explores how Liberians have responded to these racist exclusions. For example, they vociferously reject the informal refugee label once they were resettled in the U.S., as they mostly view the label as a liability since the larger general public, the media, and the US government tend to regard Black refugees as an economic and social burden unworthy of assistance. Indeed, Black refugees’ humanity is often ignored in favor of overemphasizing presumed barbaric violence, endemic wars, cultural backwardness, and diseases, subsequently rendering them less worthy of protection and resettlement. By detailing the lack of aid and support for Black refugees and describing how Liberian refugees have had to overcome various struggles and barriers in coming to the U.S. and while living here, Unwelcome Shores highlights the overarching role of race and anti-Black racism in American society.  

Author Biography

Bernadette Ludwig is an associate professor of sociology and the Director of Civic Engagement at Wagner College and an Affiliated Faculty at the New School’s Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility in New York City. She is a first-generation immigrant and college graduate. Prior to entering academia, she worked with refugee and immigrant communities in Atlanta, Georgia for several years.