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Social Sciences
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Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and...
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Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "International Migration".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 2986

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Manuela Mendes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. ISCSP, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-663 Lisboa, Portugal
2. Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia do Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (CIES-Iscte), 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: Ciganos/Roma; immigration; diversity and urban space; architecture, poverty and social exclusion; local development and social and housing policies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alina Esteves

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Estudos Geográficos do Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território, Universidade de Lisboa (CEG-IGOT, ULisboa), Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: international migration; integration; social exclusion; housing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this call is to raise awareness of new perspectives for intervention, as well as new methodological and theoretical challenges, in the face of the growing volume and diversification of the types and origins of migrant and refugee families, as well as children and young people, particularly those who are unaccompanied in the countries they move to. Often, children and young people move alone or have been separated from their families, becoming the target of racism and xenophobia and going through traumatic experiences.

We are aware that the situation of refugee children and young people is different from that of immigrant families. The former are more vulnerable and need additional support services, and schools has key role to play in creating supportive and welcoming spaces for children and young people, but also for parents and family members.

This issue invites authors from different disciplines (sociology, geography, anthropology, and educational sciences, among others) who portray different realities, as well as reception contexts and legislative frameworks, mobilizing plural theoretical perspectives and diverse and innovative methodologies. It is also important to understand the role of gender and generations in the dynamics of mobility and settling in the new country and the impact of experienced situations on the life opportunities of migrant and refugee children and young people. This Special Issue welcomes studies that seek to give a voice to children and young people in a global socio-political context of affirmation of children's rights, with particular emphasis on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and youth studies.

Dr. Maria Manuela Mendes
Dr. Alina Esteves
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social inclusion
  • migrants
  • refugees
  • children
  • youth

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 378 KiB  
Article
Social Inclusion of Gen Z Ukrainian Refugees in Lithuania: The Role of Online Social Networks
by Isabel Palomo-Domínguez, Jolanta Pivorienė and Odeta Merfeldaitė
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(7), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070361 - 5 Jul 2024
Viewed by 344
Abstract
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Lithuania, a country of barely 3 million inhabitants, has welcomed more than 85,000 refugees, mainly minors and young people. This research focuses on the youth segment, members of Gen Z, which exhibits a marked gender [...] Read more.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Lithuania, a country of barely 3 million inhabitants, has welcomed more than 85,000 refugees, mainly minors and young people. This research focuses on the youth segment, members of Gen Z, which exhibits a marked gender bias, as the majority are women. The purpose of this study is to determine the role played by online social networks in the process of social inclusion in the host community. Methodologically, this research conducts a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with open code content analysis. The results point to changes in their behavior as social media users, such as using new online social networks, and greater attention to practical topics such as knowing necessary services and leisure opportunities in their new environment. Among the conclusions, the positive effect of online social networks in the social inclusion process of these young refugees stands out: being members of the local virtual community facilitates new social interactions in the physical world of the host country. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds)
17 pages, 2684 KiB  
Article
Conducting Research with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors within an Institutional Context: Challenges and Insights
by Cristina Santinho and Olga Krysanova
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(7), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070331 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 364
Abstract
The main goal of this paper is to explore the difficulties the refugee minors face in the process of seeking inclusion in Portugal. The project conducting this research takes place in a shelter for refugee minors in Portugal, and its inhabitants are the [...] Read more.
The main goal of this paper is to explore the difficulties the refugee minors face in the process of seeking inclusion in Portugal. The project conducting this research takes place in a shelter for refugee minors in Portugal, and its inhabitants are the main focus of the analysis. The research is guided by Applied Anthropology which means that, in methodological terms, we use active listening, participant observation, and artistic workshops in drawing and photography in order to get to know them better and establish a closer relationship with the minors. Our interlocutors are refugee minors, boys and girls, aged between 15 and 18, who have been institutionalized by an NGOD responsible for hosting them in Portugal while they await their residence permit. These minors are characterized by a diversity of nationalities, socio-cultural and ethnolinguistic references and different life projects. The artistic focus (drawing and photography) is explored as a non-invasive methodology, a tool that best helps to express emotions, perceptions and desires in a creative and uncompromising way. We chose to focus our analysis not on the traumatic past, as is usually the case when it comes to refugees, but on the future. In other words: we invite these minors to think about their future, what they want for themselves in Portugal and the European Union. As we discuss our difficulties of conducting fieldwork in the institutionalized context, we conclude the article with the idea that working with refugee minors in that environment should not be an end in and of itself, but rather an opportunity to do more profound research. This investigation should continue, preferably outside the institutional gates, on a more personalized basis. As a practical goal, we also propose the idea of organizing an exhibition with the results of the workshops to facilitate the two-way process of inclusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds)
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15 pages, 307 KiB  
Article
Coming of Age While Challenging Borders: Networks of Solidarity and Resistance of Swedish-Afghan Youths on the Move in Europe
by Dora Rebelo
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060322 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 338
Abstract
This article examines the strategies of resistance enacted by an informal network of solidarity comprised of Afghan youths on the move in Europe and their Swedish allies. In 2015, thousands of Afghan children fleeing from the Taliban regime arrived in Europe as unaccompanied [...] Read more.
This article examines the strategies of resistance enacted by an informal network of solidarity comprised of Afghan youths on the move in Europe and their Swedish allies. In 2015, thousands of Afghan children fleeing from the Taliban regime arrived in Europe as unaccompanied minors. Many have been hosted in Sweden and lived there for several years, until coming of age. Reaching 18 years prompted a series of consecutive losses, as the Swedish state limited their opportunities to remain in the country or even illegalized them. Subjected to threats of detention, deportation, and ill treatment, many Afghan youths re-escaped into other European countries, crafting networks of informal solidarity to help them resist border violence. This article is based on an ethnographic study that delves into the lived experiences of four Afghan youths who lived in Lisbon between February 2019 and February 2020, particularly focusing on the journey of Ahmed, a young man of Hazara ethnicity. The empirical data shed light on the solidarity enactments that enhanced the youths’ resistance in hostile environments, inviting reflection on the impacts of the European border regime and the importance of agency, care, and political contestation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds)
18 pages, 286 KiB  
Article
Migration and Youth: The Lived Experiences of Russian Youth in Finland
by Anita Stasulane
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040201 - 3 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1087
Abstract
The number of Russian immigrants to Finland has already been steadily increasing since 1990, when the President of Finland launched an initiative aimed at facilitating the repatriation of Ingrian Finns living in the territories incorporated into the USSR. Today Russian-speaking immigrants account for [...] Read more.
The number of Russian immigrants to Finland has already been steadily increasing since 1990, when the President of Finland launched an initiative aimed at facilitating the repatriation of Ingrian Finns living in the territories incorporated into the USSR. Today Russian-speaking immigrants account for approximately 1.3% of Finland’s population. The segmented assimilation theory encourages one to explore the lived experiences of second-generation immigrants. This article analyses the data from qualitative interviews conducted within the framework of the field work carried out in the central part of Finland, from 1 October to 31 December 2021. Young people who spoke Russian in their family and were a part of groups where Russian is a tool of communication and used for the intergenerational transmission of cultural traditions were selected for interviews. The empirical data resulting from a study conducted in Finland provide insight into the factors that have contributed to the migration of their families, from the perspective of these young people. Applying the concept of identity as a “moveable feast”, this article focuses on the process of self-identification as depending, first, on the dynamics between inherited and obtained identity and, second, on the identity level (ethnicity, nationality, global identity) at which these dynamics are present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds)
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