I Ain’t No Girl: Representation and Reconstruction of the “Found Girls” of Sudan

Abstract

Despite the worldwide attention received by the so-called Lost Boys of Sudan, Sudanese young women remain relatively invisible. From their refugee experiences in Egypt or Kakuma, where many arrived alone but were placed with foster families, to their long and arduous process of resettlement in new cultures, Sudanese young women seem to still be “lost”—predominantly in the eyes of the media. This article troubles notions of belonging and resettlement for those who—like Sudanese diasporic young women—remain invisible and (underrepresented) in resettlement figures and programs, but whose tasks in resettlement highlight the gendered differences this process demands. Despite lower levels of schooling and increasing research that suggests they are at higher risk of disengagement than their male peers, young women from refugee pasts are finding alternative and increasingly creative ways of making their voices heard. This paper draws on the work of James Clifford and Peter McLaren and on my doctoral research project, Cross-Marked: Sudanese Australian Young Women Talk Education to provide an alternative space where these young women’s voices can be heard, their stories told. Media and educational spaces can begin to offer them opportunities that for too long have been “lost.” The reader might also wish to view the films under discussion at http://web.mac.com/amharris.