Exploring community resilience, social capital and adversity activated development in the context of urban refugee communities in New Delhi, India.

This thesis examines the integration and resilience of urban refugees in New Delhi, India, through the lens of social capital, community resilience, and adversity-activated development (AAD). Amidst the global urban refugee crisis, the significance of understanding the nuanced experiences of refugees in urban settings has never been more critical. The prevailing narrative in existing literature often highlights the adversities faced by refugees, including trauma, loss, and displacement. This research seeks to broaden that perspective by uncovering the multifaceted realities of refugees and asylum-seekers, focusing on both the challenges and the opportunities that shape their experiences. Identifying a gap in current academic discourse, this study asks: How do social capital, community resilience and adversity activated development contribute to the integration and empowerment of urban refugees? Furthermore, it explores how adversity can activate development, leading to personal and communal growth despite significant challenges. Employing a qualitative methodology, this investigation draws on in-depth interviews with 8 refugees in New Delhi. Through a series of semi-structured interviews with each participant, this research delves into refugee narratives, social dynamics, community engagement, and the emergence of positive developments. A hybrid thematic analysis method was used to interpret the data, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the participants' lived experiences. The findings reveal that, contrary to being merely reactive of their circumstances, urban refugees in New Delhi actively leverage their social capital and community ties to navigate and overcome obstacles. These social networks and community affiliations emerge as vital resources, facilitating settlement and fostering resilience. Moreover, the concept of adversity-activated development (AAD) is highlighted as a significant mechanism through which refugees experience personal growth and positive change. This research contributes to the field by offering a nuanced understanding of community resilience as a dynamic, process-oriented phenomenon. It highlights the essential role of social capital in resilience and examines the transformative potential of adversity. The thesis advocates a need for culturally sensitive, holistic approaches to refugee integration and resilience, emphasizing the importance of social capital, community resilience and AAD in crafting cost-effective and impactful interventions and policies specifically in low and middle income countries such as New Delhi, India. Key words: social capital, community resilience, adversity activated development, urban refugees