This study explores the lived experiences of displaced Ukrainian women residing in homestay arrangements with Canadian hosts in Toronto, highlighting how informal hospitality practices shape refugee integration and emotional well-being. Drawing on the concept of hospitableness as a moral and relational practice, the research examines how notions of care, reciprocity, and power are negotiated in domestic, non-commercial spaces. Using qualitative data from an original photovoice project, the study re-analyzes interviews with 18 Ukrainian women who lived with Canadian host families following their displacement due to the Russian invasion. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: (a) domestic hospitality as a moral practice grounded in empathy and solidarity; (b) navigating cultural and gender norms in shared spaces; (c) emotional labor, power, and reciprocity; and (d) the role of hospitableness in fostering long-term integration. The findings highlight the emotional complexities and gendered expectations embedded in these arrangements, including pressures to express gratitude and perform caregiving roles. The study offers critical insights into the under-theorized domain of informal hospitality in refugee resettlement and calls for policy and practice frameworks that recognize and support the relational, emotional, and ethical dimensions of hosting. By reframing homestay hospitality through a lens of justice and care, the study contributes to more inclusive and culturally responsive approaches to refugee hospitality and support.
Al-Hamad et al. (Fri,) studied this question.