Embodied Dispositions and Educational Trajectories: How Habitus Shapes Refugee Access to University Education in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda

Abstract

Higher education not only protects refugees from the trenches of socio-economic marginalisation, but it also primes them to contribute robustly to their adopted societies and eventually to their nations when conditions permit a return. However, access to higher education remains a critical challenge for refugees, yet the influence of social and cultural dispositions on such access is often overlooked in policy and practice. We explored how habitus factors, embodied dispositions, values, and orientations shaped by refugees’ prior experiences and socio-cultural contexts, influence access to university education among refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Guided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical framework as the analytic lens, the research interrogates how refugees’ aspirations, perceptions of self-efficacy, cultural orientations toward education, and adaptation to new learning environments shape their pursuit of higher education opportunities. Subscribing to constructivist philosophy and an interpretivist worldview, we used the qualitative single case study research design. We collected data through interviews, review of documents, and focus group discussions with refugee youth, community leaders, and education stakeholders. We interviewed 43 participants. Out of these, 18 were refugee students who participated in the 2 focused group discussions, 16 refugee students who participated in the face-to-face interviews, 3 zonal leaders, 3 representatives from the NGOs, 2 representatives from OPM, and 1 representative from UNHCR. We reviewed eight instructional documents. We used thematic data analysis to make sense of the data. Findings reveal that habitus manifests in both enabling and constraining ways: while strong educational aspirations and resilience drive some refugees toward university education, entrenched socio-cultural beliefs, gender norms, and diminished self-confidence often limit others. The study concludes that understanding refugee education through the lens of habitus provides critical insights into the hidden dispositional barriers and opportunities influencing university access. It recommends that higher education policies and interventions targeting refugees should integrate cultural and psychosocial dimensions alongside structural support mechanisms to enhance equitable access.