sojourners

Sojourner(s) is a term used to describe a person who resides in a place temporarily, rather than settling there permanently. The word derives from Old French sojourner, meaning to stay for a time, with the noun form later entering English. In everyday usage, a sojourner is someone who lodges or stays in a location for a limited period, such as a traveler, guest, or temporary resident. The verb form sojourn means to stay temporarily.

In sociological and migration contexts, sojourners are contrasted with settlers. Researchers sometimes classify migrants as sojourners when their primary expectation is to return to their home community or homeland after a finite period, rather than to establish long-term residence. This distinction helps study patterns of labor migration, study abroad, or short-term residency programs. The concept can also apply to travelers, expatriates on temporary assignments, or researchers conducting fieldwork abroad.

In religious and biblical usage, sojourner refers to a person living among a people other than their birthplace, often with specific legal or ethical obligations and protections. The term emphasizes temporary residence rather than permanent belonging, and it appears in various translations to denote foreign residents who abide by local customs and laws.

Notable uses of the term include Sojourners, a U.S. Christian social justice nonprofit founded in 1971 by Jim Wallis. It focuses on faith-based advocacy on issues such as poverty, immigration reform, and climate justice, and publishes a magazine called Sojourners. The name reflects the organization’s emphasis on living out faith in public life while emphasizing temporary or itinerant aspects of modern religious experience. Additionally, "Sojourner" is a given name, as in Sojourner Truth, the 19th-century abolitionist and suffragist.