The Unholy Revolution

The primary purpose for this study was to capture self-reports on the personal and social experience of Assyrian-Iranian refugees and their issues of displacement from Iran, integration into the western societies, and adjustment to their new social environment in the U.S. This research analyzed the experience of 10 Assyrian-Iranian refugees before and after the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution. The reports of the participants not only showed that they have experienced devastating economic and personal issues, but also significant loss of their social networks, cultural norms, and many other elements necessary for a meaningful life experience. In general, the findings indicated that although a majority of the participants showed a high level of gratitude for their acceptance in the U.S., they also maintained a significant degree of rejection of the new culture, characterized by a strong sense of self-preservation and withdrawal from the dominant society.