Danesh, A: Political Refugees

Armin Danesh is an existential-phenomenological psychotherapist who was a political refugee from Iran. He is a director of a Human Rights organisation and the chairman of a mental health charity. He has been working for refugees over three decades. He also supervises practitioners and teaches phenomenology.

Many books about refugees focus on their trauma, loss, and victimhood. Refugees are often regarded as problems for governments and social services in the countries where they seek asylum. This unique book presents a very different view. Coupling existential themes with politics and psychology, Political Refugees tells the story of a number of Iranian political refugees, through case studies and through Armin Danesh's own life story. Danesh has more than three decades of experience of working with refugees who have survived trauma and who continue to work for the causes close to their hearts. All the refugees presented here were politically engaged and suffered as a consequence. In their new home country, however, they not only survived but were reborn and forged new opportunities.The book demonstrates people's capacity to transform themselves through crisis. The stories told will be invaluable for organizations or individuals who study or work with refugees or anyone who has suffered extreme adversity.