Deskilling and reskilling of political refugees in the Republic of Korea: an actor-network analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study applied the actor-network theory to trace the deskilling and reskilling of political refugees in the Republic of Korea. The investigation revealed that refugees’ skills could be interpreted as network effects that emerge through heterogeneous networks of colleges, workplaces and social activism. These linkages continuously dismantle and reconverge as they go through exile. The constraints of the refugee recognition process and the legal status accorded to refugees often hinder the utilising of their skills in Korea. Even after gaining recognition, transferring credentials, work experience, and expertise as social activists is challenging and riddled with constant disruptions for refugees. Meanwhile, they imbibe varied wisdom, including implicit cultural knowledge and vocational skills in new domains, as they work as day labour, assist volunteers, take on new hobbies and perform volunteer activities. Initially, such learning does not appear to be relevant to reskilling. However, when refugees encounter appropriate human or non-human intermediaries, the knowledge ‘patched’ into their skill networks converges into job-specific skills. This study traced the skills of refugees to elucidate the significance of non-human actors and the integration of discrete learning sources during the deskilling and reskilling process experienced by refugees.