We Are Displaced

The author recalls that her parents and brothers experienced the Taliban’s presence differently and sometimes had opposing opinions on how to cope with the insurgency. How did she and her family members react to the growing crisis? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Most of the Pakistani population are Muslim, as are the members of the Taliban. How does Yousafzai explain the crucial differences between the Taliban’s ideology and theology and the beliefs she was raised with?

Women’s rights and the experience of civilian women in war are recurring topics throughout We Are Displaced. How does Yousafzai make a case for girls’ and women’s rights while sharing her own experience and other refugees’ stories?

One of Yousafzai’s central themes is how displacement usually interrupts young people’s learning, not only robbing them of their present education and activities but putting their potential future opportunities at risk as well. Using evidence from this book’s testimonials, describe how different young women pursued education despite their displacement.

Many of the contributors report paying smugglers to guide them through illegal border crossings. What are some common immigrant routes that are mentioned in the book? How did the contributors feel about crossing them, and why do you think they made these choices? Use quotations from the text to support your answer.

Consider where these displaced women ended up at the end of their stories. What role did government agencies and visa programs play in deciding their fate? Discuss using examples from the book.

Reflect on what you have learned by reading We Are Displaced. You may consider global conflicts, geography, immigration systems, women’s rights, and more. Describe how this book has helped you develop your knowledge, and what other questions or research it prompted.

The women in this book experienced displacement in different ways, for different reasons. Explore three women’s journeys and the reasons why they had to leave their homes. What was similar about their experiences? What was different? Consider ethnic, religious, political, and geographic factors in your answer, and include references to the text.