Recovering Refugee Stories: Chilean Refugees and World University Service

Abstract Within the context of a special section Journal Refugee Studies, this article charts and evaluates work UK-based NGO, World University Service (WUS), in assisting Chileans who fled their country wake 1973 coup subsequent Pinochet dictatorship. The combines documentary research WUS archive, Modern Records Centre, Warwick, series in-depth interviews with 26 were assisted by WUS. It begins outlining history, structure development-based focus scholarship scheme, which was an important step establishment formal refugee support structures UK. also explores quantitative data scheme’s academic success, before enriching qualitative focused on analysis refugees’ individual life stories. findings reveal tensions between what Chanfrault-Duchet calls ‘inner self’ ‘social case women interviewees. concludes that stories as emplotted narratives can enrich understandings effectiveness programmes provide insights into grassroots experience exile, helping to avoid historical decontextualization discussions programmes.