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Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees

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A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Childhood and Youth Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (13 September 2023) | Viewed by 16536

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ravi K. S. Kohli

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Guest Editor

School of Society, Community and Health, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3JU, UK
Interests: refugee children; unaccompanied asylum seeking children; refugee wellbeing

Dr. Marte Knag Fylkesnes

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Guest Editor

Norwegian Research Centre, Postboks 22 Nygårdstangen, 5838 Bergen, Norway
Interests: wellbeing; refuguees

Prof. Dr. Mervi Kaukko

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Interests: migration and refugee research; intercultural education and practice theories/praxis

Prof. Dr. Sarah C. White

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Guest Editor

Relational Wellbeing (RWB) Collaborative, Bath 01225, UK
Interests: gender; race; child/youth rights and participation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This issue will focus on the ways young refugees co-construct a sense of wellbeing for themselves and other people in countries where they have sought sanctuary. In doing so, it will provide fresh ways to think about the causes of wellbeing in refugee lives. This issue will seek to re-story existing narratives of refugee suffering, so that endurance, talent, and hard work, add to the ways young refugees are represented within discourses on refugee integration within the policies, practices and public perceptions of receiving countries.

In the ways used here, wellbeing is seen as relational – as existing between, as well as within people. Here, people are relational subjects and wellbeing is fundamentally bound up with caring for and sharing with others. It is a concept at the heart of a current research project that many of the authors (see below) are involved with (https://www.drawingtogetherproject.org). The concept has not yet been articulated within contexts of forced migration, so the special edition will allow us an opportunity to do so in an original way.

As a whole, the contributing authors illuminate the relational complexities of forced migration and integration as young refugees settle into new communities of (un)belonging. We scope the ways in which local, national and transnational relationships resonate for young refugees. We also consider how relational wellbeing changes over time and across contexts, as memories of the past, current experiences and the aspirations for the future all intertwine in the construction of life after a successful asylum claim. In addition, in focussing on visual arts methods, theatre and film-making, we offer ways of engaging with young refugees beyond the spoken word, where creativity finds an important place in their lives. Finally, we also consider the weight of policy and legal structures that provide the possibilities and constraints for young refugees growing a sustainable life over time.

As of April 27th, we have identified all contributors and are not accepting new submissions.

Prof. Dr. Ravi K. S. Kohli
Dr. Marte Knag Fylkesnes
Prof. Dr. Mervi Kaukko
Prof. Dr. Sarah C. White
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.

Publisher’s Notice

As stated above, the central purpose of this Special Issue is to present research from “Relational wellbeing in the lives of young refugees in Finland, Norway and Scotland”. Given this purpose, the Guest Editors’ contribution to this Special Issue may be greater than outlined in MDPI’s Special Issue guidelines (https://www.mdpi.com/special_issues_guidelines). The Editorial Office and Editor-in-Chief of Professor Nigel Parton has approved this Topic and MDPI’s standard manuscript editorial processing procedure (https://www.mdpi.com/editorial_process) will be applied to all submissions. As per our standard procedure, Guest Editors are excluded from participating in the editorial process for their submission and/or for submissions from persons with whom a potential conflict of interest may exist. More details on MDPI’s Conflict of Interest policy for reviewers and editors can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/ethics#_bookmark22.

Keywords

young refugees
forced migration
unaccompanied asylum seeking children
relational wellbeing
integration

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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8 pages, 208 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Forced Migration: A Relational Wellbeing Approach

by Ravi K. S. Kohli, Marte Knag Fylkesnes, Mervi Kaukko and Sarah C. White

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010052 - 15 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1061

Abstract

In this Special Issue, we consider the ways in which a relational wellbeing approach can be used to understand the lives and trajectories of refugees in general and young refugees in particular [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

39 pages, 807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adversarial Growth among Refugees: A Scoping Review

by Mira Elise Glaser Holthe and Kerstin Söderström

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010046 - 10 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1219

Abstract

Background: The main aims of this scoping review are to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing knowledge about adversarial growth among refugees, and to gain insight into the complexity of post-trauma development. Methods: We applied a systematic search strategy resulting in the inclusion of 43 quantitative and qualitative empirical studies. Our findings underscore the prevalence of growth as a common phenomenon among refugees, emphasizing the positive associations with problem-focused coping, optimism, positive reappraisal, religiosity, and social support. Additionally, this review sheds light on the qualitative experiences and outcomes of growth, particularly pro-social outcomes, and the cultural and religious aspects of growth processes. Findings concerning the role of time and post-migration factors on growth processes highlight the need for more studies among established refugees. In sum, the findings supplement and lend nuance to pathology-oriented research, while acknowledging the severity of suffering and trauma and their consequences for individuals. We suggest that further research should focus on existential aspects and theories of growth: compassion, altruism, and pro-sociality following trauma, and the importance of religious and cultural elements in growth processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

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14 pages, 282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

After Being Granted or Refused Asylum in Norway: Relational Migration Journeys among Afghan Unaccompanied Young Men

by Moa Nyamwathi Lønning

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010045 - 10 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1001

Abstract

This article considers experiences of moving and dwelling in Europe among Afghan unaccompanied young men in the context of stringent migration, asylum, and settlement processes. The young men embarked as minors and arrived unaccompanied in Norway. There, their claims for asylum had radically different outcomes: some were granted international protection and others were refused asylum. The article sheds light on forms of relationality on migration journeys by focusing on relational selves and subjectivities regarding trajectories, processes of inclusion and exclusion, and family. Participants shared numerous challenges and struggles arising from their journeys, but also possibilities and transformations taking place alongside developmental changes and life transitions. While some attached meaning to experienced hardships and drew on a sense of direction, others spoke of exhaustion or inoculated themselves from an inability to pursue a direction they desired and saw as necessary for their lives. They made sense of their experiences relationally, relating to hopes and fears, idealised and longed for kinship ties and care, and the ongoing processes and positionings involved in shaping their present situations and imaginings of the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

18 pages, 1264 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Narratives of Symbolic Objects: Exploring Relational Wellbeing of Young Refugees Living in Scotland, Finland, and Norway

by Masego Katisi, Milfrid Tonheim, Sharon A. McGregor and Fath E Mubeen

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010043 - 9 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1088

Abstract

Background: In this study, objects are used as a representation of relational wellbeing to help young refugees living in Norway, Scotland, and Finland to talk about important persons who make them feel well. At the time of this research, there is no known study that uses objects to facilitate narratives of how young refugees and members of their social networks generate relational wellbeing. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, young refugees participated in individual interviews about the objects they brought to art workshops to understand their experiences, feelings, and acts of wellbeing. Results: Treating each object as unique to the owner was powerful in revealing how relational wellbeing is experienced and expressed. There were overlaps in experiences and expressions of wellbeing, hence our themes of discussion: overlaps between old and new social ties; between time and space; and between the three constructs of relational wellbeing. Old ties were not forgotten; instead, they evolved to a different form, supporting young refugees from a distance, while new ties contributed to what is needed in their present and at their current age. Experiences of relational wellbeing transcended time and space between their disrupted places of origin, their experiences on the journey, and settling in their new countries. The constructs of relational wellbeing—feeling good, being connected, and having enough—were inseparable in the participants’ experiences. Conclusions: We conclude that these overlaps have implications for a relational wellbeing approach in theory and practice. The results leave a challenge for both researchers and practitioners to develop complex research and intervention methods that can capture these tapestries of young refugees’ experiences of relational wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

14 pages, 249 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“The Will to Survive”: The Lives of Young People with “No Papers” in the United Kingdom

by Yeṣim Deveci

Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010028 - 27 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1141

Abstract

This article considers how undocumented youth in the UK survive and construct their everyday lives in precarious circumstances. Drawing on multiple in-depth narrative interviews with (n = 7) undocumented youth, I illustrate how these young people focus on the future and engage in purposeful activities as a way of enduring the everyday challenges of living with no papers. I reflect on the relationships, which young people draw on to enable them to endure adversity and rebuild their everyday lives. I conclude that the presence of love and community is critical for young people’s survival, safety and wellbeing, and I suggest how practitioners and researchers might make use of these findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

15 pages, 288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family-like Relationships and Wellbeing of Young Refugees in Finland, Norway, and Scotland

by Marja Tiilikainen, Marte Knag Fylkesnes and Sharon A. McGregor

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(12), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12120667 - 1 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1370

Abstract

In this article, we explore the role of family-like relationships in creating wellbeing for unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) to Europe. Our theoretical point of departure is a relational approach to wellbeing as conceptualized by Sarah C. White. The data comprises interviews with 51 settled UMRs in Finland, Norway, and Scotland, focused on their social networks, and a selection of paired interviews with young people alongside someone they defined as family-like and important for their wellbeing today. Findings illuminate the important role family-like relationships have in meeting the daily needs of young refugees. These relationships are ascribed meaning in the context of young people’s wider networks and ideas of ‘what family should do’. Family-like relationships gain particular importance for UMRs in two different ways: first, the physical absence of the family of origin enforces children and young people’s need to create trusted, reciprocal networks. Second, building family-like relationships is necessary in a new country where UMRs grow up and face new expectations, needs, and opportunities. We argue that relational wellbeing is built in a hybrid ‘third space’. A welfare state should support the wellbeing of UMRs by nurturing welcoming communities and providing UMRs help with building family-like relationships through formal and other support networks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

13 pages, 1567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drawing Together in Scotland: The Opportunities and Challenges for Young Refugees within a ‘Relational Wellbeing’ Approach to Integration

by Ravi K. S. Kohli, Paul Sullivan and Kirstie Baughan

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(12), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12120666 - 1 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1155

Abstract

In this paper, we consider how young refugees in the Drawing Together project experience integration in Scotland. We critically examine the term ‘refugee integration’ and emphasise its multiple dimensions. Specifically, we analyse Scotland’s role as a country committed to the protection and care of young refugees by mapping some key Scottish legal, political, social and cultural policies and strategies that provide the contexts for refugee integration as a mutual endeavour based on hospitality and reciprocity. Finally, we show the ways young refugees talk of rebuilding a life in Scotland that feels coherent in relation to their past and present circumstances, and their future plans despite the challenges that they encounter in their everyday lives. We suggest that a ‘relational wellbeing’ approach to integration in Scotland is tangible. It confirms the importance of the practical and social opportunities available to young refugees as they resettle. This approach extends the meaning of integration beyond its political and social categories, to include young refugees’ attachment to their faith of origin as well as the natural environment of Scotland. In all, we suggest that young refugees face the challenges and use the opportunities for integration in Scotland in ways that are of sustained benefit, for them as well as Scotland as their new country. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

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14 pages, 286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fragile Solace: Navigating toward Wellbeing in ISIS-Occupied Mosul in 2014–2017

by Esko Nummenmaa and Thaer Allaw

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(11), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110624 - 9 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1015

Abstract

Populations in conflict contexts often live for extended periods of time in displacement or under occupation. Both have profound consequences for navigating daily wellbeing. Drawing on narrative interviews (n = 8) with participants who lived through the ISIS (Islamic State) occupation of Mosul in 2014–2017, we seek to highlight narratives of wellbeing- and illbeing-emerging from their experiences. Our case study suggests that multiple persistent threats forced a renegotiation of ways to sustain key elements of wellbeing. Our findings suggest that intentionally propagated distrust led to reduced interaction, while insecurity and fear diminished personal freedoms, causing recurring shocks requiring constant adaptation. Decreasing the size of the core social unit helped families manage risks and resources when facing existential threats, while the diversification of interpersonal and communal relations created space for moments of normalcy. Choices made in order to stay safe and sane under such exceptional circumstances include complex relational choices, such as breaking familial ties with loved ones. Our research expands on the positive and negative impacts of relations on wellbeing and deepens our understanding of how wellbeing is navigated in contexts of forced departure—environments from which people often flee to seek refuge elsewhere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

17 pages, 3025 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nature and Belonging in the Lives of Young Refugees: A Relational Wellbeing Perspective

by Nick Haswell

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(11), 611; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110611 - 2 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1711

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between nature contact, wellbeing and belonging in the resettlement experiences of young refugees in Finland. Drawing on qualitative data, including participant-made artworks and semi-structured interviews, it explores the different ways refugees encounter nature in their past, present and (imagined) future. Using a relational wellbeing approach, the paper considers how subjective, material and relational dimensions of wellbeing arise and interrelate within refugees’ encounters with nature and how these encounters link with refugees’ developing sense of belonging to people and places in Finland. The paper describes how, in the context of refugee resettlement, nature encounters can foster a sense of belonging in three ways: through restoration and attachment in the present, through maintaining links with the past, and through shaping desires about a future in which to thrive. Considering refugees’ sense of belonging in Finland as part of the relational wellbeing generated, in part, from their encounters with nature, these three aspects of belonging represent particular interrelations between subjective, material and relational dimensions of refugees’ wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

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13 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Racial Othering and Relational Wellbeing: African Refugee Youth in Australia

by Tebeje Molla

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(11), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110609 - 1 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1689

Abstract

Racialised and culturally distinct refugee groups increasingly face hostilities and negative representations in countries of resettlment. The experience of African refugee youth in Australia illustrates this general trend. This paper explores how racial Othering discourse seriously undermines the group’s wellbeing. The article concentrates in particular on two aspects of relational wellbeing, the capacity to move in public without fear or shame and the ability to feel a sense of belonging to the place where one lives in. Theoretically, the paper draws together work on wellbeing from a capability approach and relational perspective with interdisciplinary literature on racial Othering. Empirically, the paper demonstrates the pervasive culture of racial Othering through media identifications of African youth with criminality and gang violence and illustrates impacts on young people’s wellbeing through data from interviews with African refugee youth. The youth’s accounts show how it feels to be a problem and what it means not to belong. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

15 pages, 288 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Exploring the Relational in Relational Wellbeing

by Sarah C. White and Shreya Jha

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(11), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110600 - 28 Oct 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2700

Abstract

This paper explores the different ways that relationships and the relational figure in the integrative approach, relational wellbeing (RWB). These are (1) conceptualising persons as relational subjects; (2) relationships as the means through which people seek to address a wide variety of needs; (3) inter-relations between the experience of wellbeing and the underlying factors within persons and their contexts that either promote or undermine wellbeing; (4) relationships serving as conduits of power and the making of identities; and (5) inter-relations between the concepts and methods of research with representations of (persons and) wellbeing. The main thrust of the paper is theoretical, but it is anchored in long-standing research into wellbeing in the global South and practical experience in applying RWB in the global North. Empirically, it draws, in particular, on a case study from Zambia of a ‘meshwork’ of relations between birth and foster parents and children moving between households. This places the relational, rather than the individual, at the centre of analysis. It shows how different dimensions of wellbeing may coincide, but there may also be trade-offs between them. Relationships are bearers of power, and it is the interactions of structure and agency that ultimately limit or engender opportunities for sustained individual and collective wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)

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