How Refugees Navigate Religion in Utah Post-Resettlement: Joining, Facing Barriers, and Maintaining Difference

Background and purpose: Experiences of forced displacement are shaped both by global forces and local contexts. As refugees resettle in the United States (U.S.), they navigate new cultural and religious contexts. This study examines the experiences of refugees living in Utah, a U.S. state that is highly religious, predominantly White, and strongly influenced both politically and socially by the state’s majority religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Study findings on how refugees navigate socio-religious differences post-resettlement have implications for research, policy, and programs supporting migrant integration within diverse socio-cultural contexts.

Methods: Participants (N=88) were adult refugees living in Utah who resettled in the U.S. at least 5 years earlier. Recruitment occurred through mutual assistance associations, resettlement agencies, state programs, and community networks. Participants completed survey items and in-depth interviews, with interpretation provided as needed. Religious affiliation, if any, was reported by participants during the survey. Interviews explored post-resettlement experiences adjusting to a new cultural environment, sources of assistance, and how people and organizations in Utah could better help refugees succeed and feel at home. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, then coded within NVIVO software. After line-by-line coding of the data, key themes were identified. Through immersion in the data and review of quotes related to religion, themes regarding refugee experiences with Utah’s socio-religious environment were identified.

Results: Participants lived in the U.S. for an average of 11 years, and half of participants were women. National origin varied, including Iraq (21%), Sudan (19%), Bhutan (11%), the Democratic Republic of Congo (9%), Somalia (7%), Burundi (7%), and Burma (5%). While 35% of the sample identified as Muslim and 17% identified as Christian, 25% identified as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or LDS, Mormon). Participants described Utah as a place where religion is a central component of culture and services, and where people are typically kind and tolerant. Three themes emerged regarding how participants navigated Utah’s socio-religious context, including: 1) finding meaning through joining local religious communities, 2) experiencing intersectional barriers to inclusion particularly around race, and 3) maintaining separate religious identities.

Conclusions and implications: Refugees in Utah navigated a unique religious and cultural environment. Many participants attributed generous services and kind acts to the state’s dominant religion. Some found meaning and purpose in joining local religious communities. Others expressed concerns about a lack of racial diversity and the difficulties of achieving belonging. Across diverse social contexts, social work researchers can examine how religious identity and community dynamics influence integration. Social welfare policies and social programs can support refugee efforts to establish religious and cultural norms, while also assisting people with diverse religious backgrounds in their efforts to build welcoming communities.