Arthur Clarke Diversity Lecture

New Americans in Nebraska: Refugee Resettlement, Work, and the Meaning of Welcome

Nebraska often tells itself a proud story about immigration and welcoming newcomers. Refugees are a central part of that story, yet their history, labor, and lived experiences are often misunderstood or overlooked. Focusing on one chapter of the broader "Roots of Justice: A History of Race and Racism in Nebraska" project, this presentation explores Nebraska’s role in refugee resettlement from the post-Vietnam War era to the present.

Using historical context, original data, and firsthand accounts, the talk examines who Nebraska’s refugees are, why they came, the kinds of work they were expected to do, and how refugee communities have helped sustain both urban and rural towns across the state. The presentation also challenges the idea that “welcome” ends with arrival, showing how refugees often rely on their own communities to fill gaps left by underfunded systems and short-term support.

This event invites participants to think more deeply about refugee resettlement as a shared Nebraska history, one that raises important questions about labor, belonging, and what meaningful welcome really looks like today.

About Dr. Emira Ibrahimpašić

Dr. Emira Ibrahimpašić is a Associate Professor of Practice for the School of Global Integrative Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

At present, Emira is working on a project focused on refugee integration right here in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dr. Ibrahimpašić's collaboration with Dr. Julia Reilly examines the various features of Career Ladder, a program that connects skilled immigrants and refugees to career pathways, digital resources, and a professional network while fostering economic opportunity and restoring dignity through work. Emira's primary focus is on the ways in which women challenge and work outside and inside the confines of familial, social and cultural expectations that limit their economic participation to achieve economic independence.