Using Oral History Methods to Document the Subjective Experiences of Statelessness: The Case of Stateless Chinese-Bruneian Immigrants in Vancouver

This article reflects upon the use of oral histories in uncovering people’s subjective experiences of statelessness — an area that has received relatively little attention in the growing body of literature on statelessness. Through an analysis of 13 oral history interviews with formerly stateless Chinese-Bruneian immigrants living in Vancouver, this study sought to understand the emotional and material repercussions of being denied a nationality, as well as respondents’ conceptions of citizenship and civic behaviour. By privileging the voices of formerly stateless people and giving them the opportunity to tell their life stories using their own words, this study advocates for the need to pay greater attention to the subjective, quotidian dimensions of this global human rights crisis.