ABSTRACT
Social scientists, including applied linguists, have used the construct of 'capital' to characterize the mechanisms that influence the life chances of individuals and the well-being of communities. Researchers have found that refugees face a number of challenges that are specific to their status as persons fleeing war, persecution, various types of physical abuse, and economic privation. This chapter helps to gain a more sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of the sorts of challenges and barriers faced by refugees in their transition to living and working in Calgary, Canada. The cases of Fernando, Robert, and Jacqueline whose deficiencies in English have impacted their ability to integrate into mainstream Anglophone Canadian society. The governments of Canada have provided them with at least some resources and opportunities to improve their situation, but what these refugees require more than government aid is broader societal recognition and validation of their considerable skills, training, and experiences.
