Art and Ritual in the Creation of a Transnational Refugee Community

This project studies the role of art, creative expression, and ritual practice in sustaining a sense of identity and history among refugee immigrants. It will focus on how music, stories, and visual art create a sense of community among Mien refugees from Laos who are now living in the US. It will explore how reproduction and innovation in music and ritual create particular Mien spaces in the US, and the role of art, ritual, and creative expression in forging transnational connections to Mien communities in Asia.