Refugees and the Meaning of Home ― Cypriot Narratives of Loss, Longing and Daily Life in London

The concept of home is of central importance at a time of global migration. In Refugees and the Meaning of Home, Helen Taylor looks at the lived experience of home for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot refugees living in prolonged exile in London since their island was torn apart by war. Taking an innovative approach, she looks at the ways in which home is constructed through the intersection of spaces, time, social networks and sensory and embodied experiences.

Narratives of the lost home in Cyprus display nostalgic longing as well as painful recollections of war and displacement. Taylor shows the enduring importance of homes abandoned more than four decades ago, as some continue to fight for the right to return. At the same time, she shows how the remaking of home in exile demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness. Refugees and the Meaning of Home will be of interest to those interested in refugees and migration, as well as feeding into contemporary debates on the nature of home and belonging.

Helen Taylor is a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Research on Migration, Refugees and Belonging at the University of East London, UK. She has published in the fields of refugee studies, migration and narrative.