Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Hyojin Im, PhD
Second Advisor
McKenzie Green, PhD
Third Advisor
Nicole Corley, PhD
Fourth Advisor
Michael Broda, PhD
Abstract
Humanitarian responses to displacement are commonly understood as systems of protection, yet in practice, they often operate through fragmented and uneven forms of support. Focusing on displacement resulting from the war in Sudan, this study examines how everyday survival is sustained when formal assistance is inconsistent or inaccessible. It centers transnational family and diaspora networks as primary sites of support and asks how these networks are organized, how resources circulate within them, and how caregiving responsibilities are experienced. A mixed-methods design integrates social network analysis with semi-structured interviews to capture both the structural patterns and lived experiences of transnational care.
Findings show that support networks are characterized by small, tightly connected networks that span multiple countries and rely on frequent coordination across distance. Relationships within these networks are emotionally close and multi-functional, with individuals often providing overlapping forms of assistance. Care is sustained through shared expectations of responsibility and reciprocity, while also being informed by gendered and intergenerational dynamics that influence how roles are distributed. Support practices adjust to shifting constraints in both the origin and host-country contexts and are often organized collectively. Although participation can offer a sense of relief and fulfillment to diaspora members, it also carries significant emotional and material strain, reflecting the ongoing pressures of providing care under conditions of uncertainty.
This study highlights the coordinated labor embedded within family and community ties. The findings point to the need for frameworks that better account for transnational realities and for more balanced approaches to responsibility in responding to displacement.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-8-2026