Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference

A refugee is a displaced person who is unwilling or unable to return to their country of origin because of serious threat to their life, safety, and freedom as a result of violence or other disruptive events. Refugee status is granted by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees only after the displaced person has undergone an extensive screening process including multiple rounds of interviews. Refugees are distinct from immigrants in that they are forced to flee due to circumstances beyond their control and typically have no say in where they are relocated, while immigrants choose to move to specific locations for a variety of reasons. In the United States, the status of refugees has historically been heavily politicized—something St. John connects directly to The Influence of American Politics on International Conflicts.

Outcasts United centers the stories of refugee families in Clarkston, Georgia, who “[have] fled violence and chaos and found themselves in a society with a completely different set of values and expectations” (6). Throughout the book, St. John tells the stories of refugees from Liberia, the Congo, Kosovo, and Sudan. These stories highlight both the violence and oppression the refugees escaped in their countries of origin and the trauma inherent to leaving home and starting a new life—underscoring The Systemic Obstacles Facing Refugees in the United States. They also emphasize “the benefit of getting involved” with refugee communities—specifically, as a means of developing greater empathy, pushing back against implicit bias perpetuated by systemic prejudice, and catalyzing widespread change. St. John’s depiction of the refugee community in Clarkston—and especially the Fugees soccer team—aims to humanize refugees in the United States, bringing a personal face to the often exclusively political conversation about refugee resettlement.